In the Heart of Mt Chimney
by CinnamonPearl517
Summary: [Book two of Walking With Gods] It's been 1,404 days since his sister went missing, and Nauki Trapinch has yet to let her go. When a mysterious pokemon shows up in his village, Nauki will seize the opportunity to track down his missing sister. But he'll find himself in a world from which none may leave unscathed, and he may have to sacrifice everything just to get out alive.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

* * *

Author's Note

Hello, and welcome to In the Heart of Mt. Chimney! I'm your writer and hostess, CinnamonPearl. Before I send you off to the story, I just wanted to make a quick note. This is the second book of my six-part series, Walking With Gods. The first book, At the Top of the Bell Tower, is already posted, so if you want to read the first book before you go to this one, I'll have the link to book one at the bottom of this note. However, I personally believe this second book is a vast improvement on the first, and all the books in the series are standalone stories, so if you don't want to, feel free to just skip right to the second one. Without further ado, let's get on with the story! Please enjoy.

s/11659088/1/At-the-Top-of-the-Bell-Tower

* * *

Lavaridge Town was a place that was hard to reach. If one went past the great dragon Mt. Chimney and down into the ravine through Jagged Pass, they would reach it. Most travelers often arrived with sore feet or cut skin. Despite being even lower than the sea, the sun never failed to touch it. The rocks would simmer with heat in summer, and in winter the hot springs that made the town notorious would keep the biting chill away. When the wind was blowing in the right direction, the green leaves of the shrubs would turn gray from the raining ash of Chimney. Even in wintertime, when the rest of Hoenn was suffering from the biting wind, Lavaridge Town was nestled safely out of the way, and the kricketots would sing as if it were summer.

It was in this warm, little town where two pokémon lived. Brother and sister they were, latched onto each other when everyone else refused to take their hands. In the southeast corner of the town, in a rickety house, a vibrava, already evolved, curled around a little trapinch and told him a story.

"There once was a time," the vibrava started, "when there was no land. The whole world was a vast, blue plane of swirling currents and roaring foam. The waves had nothing to crash against, since nothing stood in their way, and they greedily consumed the world in their hunger to eat all that's good."

"No!" the little trapinch cried. The vibrava smiled at this. She had told him this story at countless bedtimes, yet at every telling, it was as if he were hearing it for the first time.

"Ruling these oceans was the sea monster Kyogre. He roamed the world, bringing torrential rain wherever he went, agitating the waters and causing discord. None, not even the water-types who loved him, could stop his recklessness, and everywhere he went, he left destruction in his wake.

"But there was a pokémon who slept even lower than the bottom of the seas. Down beneath the bedrock where there is no water and only bubbling magma lies. In a bed of fire and earth lay Groudon. Groudon had slept for eons, waiting for the right moment to strike back against Kyogre, his old enemy. He lay in wait.

"Then, one day, Kyogre had the misfortune to pass above Groudon's bed. He sensed the presence of the Sea Monster and decided it was time to strike back against the One Who Drowned the World. Groudon burst through the bedrock. A small island carried him all the way to the surface, and Groudon stood upon it. This was the first land.

"Groudon roared at Kyogre. 'Your reign of ocean has gone on for long enough. Nowhere is there room for me to rule. It is time to step down and accept the age of the earth.

"Kyogre replied, 'How dare you come up here and expect me to yield? With this unending ocean, the world is my domain! There is nowhere I cannot touch. If you bring your land, I will be limited, restricted. The ocean is free! Return to your slumber!'

"'If you refuse, I shall fight you,' Groudon threatened. Kyogre was unfazed, certain that he could take on the Builder, so they began to fight.

"As their war raged on, the world suffered for it. Icy, torrential rains fought for dominance in the sky with blistering heat and harsh sunlight. The weather transformed into monstrous hurricanes and tornadoes. No pokémon could get close enough to the two fighting ones to plead for them to stop without being torn apart by the chaotic winds. The world was dying, but in their blind rage, Groudon and Kyogre could not stop.

"Then, born from the winds and air of their war was a mysterious pokémon whose name is unknown. He was the only one who could near them, for if Groudon is the land and Kyogre is the sea, then he is the sky. He descended upon them and roared in a voice quite unlike any ever heard.

"'Groudon, Kyogre, the fighting stops now! Can you not see your war is devastating the world? From now on, you shall not fight with each other, and you will answer to me. A compromise shall be made. The world will not be just land or just sea, but a balance of both. Then, as punishment, you both shall sleep until I summon you back. Kyogre shall return to the depths and Groudon shall return to the bedrock. Only then will there be balance and prosperity. While you both walk free, only chaos may occur.

"The pokémon left after that. Kyogre returned to the sea depths, and Groudon got to work. He built up all the continents on which ground- and fire-types roam happily. He built mountains, beaches, grasslands, and ravines. He began with the little island on which he had fought the Sea Monster. He expanded it and shaped it until it was the perfect home for him. He named it Hoenn."

As the vibrava finished the story, the trapinch looked sleepy. "It gets better and better every time you tell it," he yawned.

Their peace was interrupted when the door of their bedroom opened and a bristling flygon peered inside. "Ikaika," he grumbled, "would you come out here, please?"

Ikaika sighed with annoyance. "Fine." She turned to her brother. "Tuck yourself in, okay? I'll be right back."

"Okay," the trapinch said. As he tunneled under his blanket, Ikaika got down from his bed and stormed into the living room.

Her parents, two flygons, were glaring down at her as she came in. Ikaika only shot a death glare back. "What?"

"We heard about what happened today," her father said. "You beat up three kids so badly they had to be taken to Mauville for treatment."

"What, so I should just stand idly by while they talk shit about my brother? _Your_ son? No thanks," Ikaika spat.

"It's not about the fighting. Fighting is a natural part of a young pokémon's life. But for Groudon's sake, Ikaika, you must restrain yourself! You know you're stronger than other kids. Every time you lose your temper, someone gets beaten near to death. Every time you lift your talons, calamity strikes! Your temper is out of control," argued her mother.

"Well, maybe I wouldn't get so mad if I didn't _HATE_ you!"

A sudden tremor shook the entire house, sending dishes clattering to the ground and furniture skittering across the floor. Once the tremor passed, her parents glared at her, and her father growled, "Stuff like this makes me wonder if you're even safe enough to be near your little brother."

Ikaika opened her mouth to retaliate, but only snarled and marched back into her room, slamming the door.

She made her way over to her bed, snarling like a mightyena. She was so furious, and trying reign in the white flames snarling in her chest didn't make things much better. Careful not to wake her brother, she crawled up onto the windowsill and sprawled out, letting her limbs flop over the edge. She gazed out at the little town surrounded by red rock and the volcano looming above them, and the white fire was tamed a little.

As she lay there with her anger ebbing, Ikaika began to doubt herself. Her temper was out of control, she knew it, and someday, her brother could get hurt. If she brought her brother pain, she would not be able to forgive herself. _Maybe Mom and Dad are right._ However, just the thought of agreeing with her parents disgusted her, and she forced the thought out of her head, pushing back each time it tried to return.

Then, Ikaika blinked. She could have sworn she had seen a strange, red thing glowing just across the town. When it didn't reappear, she shrugged it off and started to gaze at the mountain again…

… When the red glow appeared right in front of her.

Ikaika yelped, nearly leaping back, but she managed to recompose herself quickly. She blinked and rubbed her eyes, but it did not go away. The gaseous, red entity seemed to have a face and small arms, but it's form shifted too often to tell for sure. "What in Groudon's name are you?"

To her surprise, the glow replied. _"As offensive as your casual tone is, I shall forgive you. Not all can recognize me in this state at first. Would you allow me to explain?"_

Ikaika shrugged. "Sure." The spirit reached right through the dirty, spotted glass and touched Ikaika's forehead. She gasped at the touch, her eyes flashing red for a second. As quickly as it had reached forward, the entity retracted its arm.

Ikaika stared at the spirit in awe. "But… you're…?"

" _Yes,"_ the being said. _"Now, are you ready?"_

Ikaika turned to the little trapinch sleeping soundly on the bed. Guilt surged through her chest. "What about my brother?"

" _He cannot come."_

"Yeah, but…" She paused for a moment, trying to think of anything that could be persuasive, but she came up empty-handed. "But he's my brother! I can't just-"

At her shout, the little trapinch stirred in his sleep, causing Ikaika to freeze. She waited until the young boy ceased to move and then sighed. "Fine." She flew silently over to him and gave him a last kiss on the forehead. "I won't forget you. I swear on my life I will never forget you. And I love you," she promised. She then flew back to the window, a new determination in her eyes.

"Let's do this."

With lightning speed, the spirit split itself in two and flew into her eyes. Ikaika gasped, nearly thrown back by the force, but she held her ground. When all the remains of the spirit were gone, her eyes flashed red.

 _Let's go._

Ikaika threw the window open and flew up into the black night. And even though there was no trace of the sun in the sky, the little town of Lavaridge was descended upon by blistering heat.


	2. 1,404 Days

**Chapter One: 1,404 Days**

* * *

Nauki Trapinch had a feeling that someone was watching him.

He wasn't sure why. Nothing ever happened in the tiny town of Lavaridge, especially not to him. All that ever seemed to happen was the occasional bullying and his outings to the secret hideout he'd built in a nook of the rock walls. But today was different. Something had changed in the village that never changed, but he could not quite figure out what it was.

"Hello, Nauki."

Upon hearing his name, the trapinch immediately forgot his suspicions. "Hi, Makamaka." He turned to acknowledge the spoink sitting in front of him, carefully balanced on her spring-like limb.

"What's the matter? You look concerned," Makamaka inquired.

"Oh, uhh…" He dug through his brain ferociously but turned up with nothing. "I can't even remember."

Makamaka giggled. "Typical Nauki."

Nauki shrugged. "Guess so. Hey, what do you think about Jagged Pass?"

The sudden change in topic took Makamaka by surprise. "What do you mean, what do I think?"

"Like, what's your opinion on it? You think it's as hard to climb as the grownups say?" He turned to gaze at the exit of the town, a small path through the ashy wood that could take him to Jagged Pass.

"I haven't the slightest. My dad carried me up," said Makamaka. "Why, are you intending to cross it?"

No response.

"Don't be fatuous, Nauki. You're aware of what happened to Wa'awa'a when he attempted it. He had to wear a cast on his hoof for months," said Makamaka.

Silence.

"Please exercise reason, okay?"

"Whatever, Makamaka."

They sat quietly for a moment before Makamaka pricked her ears. "The teacher is summoning me. Perhaps I will see you later?"

"Yeah, maybe."

As the spoink hopped off, Nauki thought, _And that's the last time I'll see her for today. Or maybe for a week._ Makamaka was an entity in his life that only made occasional appearances. When she wasn't spending a few minutes with Nauki, she was with the friends she preferred or studying to get into a fancy boarding school in Rustboro City. Once she left, she would quickly forget him, he knew as much. Nauki couldn't blame her. She'd been charitable enough devoting a fraction of her time to keeping town's second pariah company.

A little bell rang, signaling the start of classes. As Nauki rose to enter the schoolhouse and escape the sweltering, unnatural heat that was currently baking the town, his thoughts immediately veered off course. Makamaka forgotten, he started to wonder which composer they would learn in music class, or if the teacher would mention anything about Jagged Pass. Completely forgotten were his suspicions that somebody had been watching him.

* * *

Once the school day was over and the children of Lavaridge had dispersed, Nauki headed straight to his secret hideout. He reached the corner of town, just by the bubbling hot spring that emanated heat, and started a treacherous climb up the red rock walls. He did his best to ignore the ache in his right foreleg, courtesy of Makona, and the sizzling heat of the rocks that came from the sun beating down on them all day. And as he climbed the steep wall with the ground ready to break him if he slipped, he sang a song to himself in a hushed voice.

" _A trapinch came down the walk_

 _With big teeth for the bite._

 _He took his lunch up in his mouth_

 _And wouldn't let it fight._

 _Once he'd had his fill_

 _He glowed oh so bright._

 _He spread his two new pairs of wings_

 _And left the ground for flight."_

When Nauki reached a nook just big enough for his tiny form to fit, he crawled in and arrived at his secret base. It was a tiny place, hardly big enough for two of him to fit inside, but he never had any need to bring anyone else up here anyway. The little nook was his second home and thankfully lacked blistering heat or rain. There were several journals stacked in a corner, a string instrument called a waaliona propped against the wall, several piles of crumpled sheet music, a detailed drawing of a vibrava, and a heap of bruised berries for snacks.

Nauki sat down, took up the only journal that wasn't filled to the brim, and started to write.

May 26, 2514

It's been 1,404 days since Ikaika went missing. I looked through the newspapers this morning, but no mention of a vibrava. They're shipping in the Chimney Periodical from Mauville tomorrow, so I'm gonna look through it when it gets here.

Ms. Kumu didn't talk about Jagged Pass today. Makamaka wouldn't say anything either. She climbed it to go to Rustboro, so I thought she'd tell me, but she wouldn't. I gotta find out something about it before I can do anything. Maybe I'll ask 'Ao'o. He might tell me.

I'm gonna have to get a cold pack. Makona tripped me again today, and my leg hurts really bad. Or maybe I'll just go to the Hot Spring. I don't wanna have to explain to Mom again. I didn't wanna get in another fight with him, but he was saying rotten stuff about Ikaika. He called her a freak and said it's good she's gone. I'm really no match for a tyrogue, but I couldn't just stand by while they talked bad about my sister.

Upon finishing the day's entry, he tossed the journal back into the corner. Nauki then tenderly picked up the drawing of a vibrava, which was propped up by his waaliona, and brushed his paw over her face, careful not to smudge the fading graphite. He murmured, "Remember the time when I lost Pa'ani?"

Whether or not Ikaika remembered, Nauki could not be sure, but he himself could recall the day with great clarity. It had happened years before his sister had vanished, on his birthday.

 _When little Nauki opened his eyes that morning, Ikaika, whose wings seemed to be concealing something on her back, immediately greeted him. "Morning, birthday boy," she said with a smile._

 _Nauki smiled. "Ika, it's my birthday!"_

" _Sure is. And I've got a present for you. Ready?"_

 _Nauki's pulse raced with excitement. "Ready! Ready!"_

" _Okay, here it is!" Ikaika lowered her wings to reveal a fluffy, plush marill doll. Not the best craftsmanship, but it had the same sort of beauty that rustic, country cabins and wooden trinkets possessed._

" _A doll!" Nauki exclaimed. He leaped out of bed and gathered up the doll in his arms._

" _Keep her with you, and you'll always know I love you," said Ikaika. "Do you wanna name her?"_

" _Yes! Her name is… Umm… Pa'ani," he decided._

" _Perfect! 'Tis a name fit for a queen," said Ikaika. "I'm glad you like her."_

" _Thanks so much!" Nauki dropped Pa'ani for a moment to hug his sister. She wrapped her arms and two of her wings around him and squeezed him tight, making the little trapinch giggle._

 _From that moment, Nauki was never seen without Pa'ani. He pulled up an extra chair at the dinner table for the doll, carried it with him to school, and slept with her every night. Whenever he hugged her, he could almost feel Ikaika in his arms, though he always preferred the real thing. Pa'ani had become apart of Nauki, and it would not be easy to separate them should the need arise._

 _A fortnight after receiving Pa'ani, Ikaika took Nauki out to the small, gray wood just next to Lavaridge. "Where're we going, Ika?" Nauki asked._

" _I wanna show you something cool," said Ikaika. "I found it earlier."_

" _Why were you out here in the woods? You hate nature."_

" _Just… reasons," said Ikaika. "Come on, faster!"_

" _I can't, or Pa'ani will fall off my back," said Nauki, but he hurried along anyway._

 _When they reached the rock wall where the woods ended, Ikaika guided Nauki over to a sandy hole filled with blackness. "See this? It's a bottomless hole."_

 _Nauki eyed her skeptically. "It can't be bottomless. That's not possible."_

" _It is! Here, look." Ikaika picked up a pebble, held her arm out over the hole dramatically, and dropped the pebble. Nauki listened closely for the sound of it landing, but he could hear nothing._

" _Maybe it's sandy. Then we wouldn't hear it," he suggested._

"Or _, it's bottomless. Come on, dream a little," Ikaika said. "Careful not to fall in, though. I couldn't fly down there; it's too narrow."_

" _If I did, I'd get back out. I can climb!" Nauki held his head high._

" _You're a trapinch. You dig, not climb," said Ikaika, giving his nose a gentle tap. "When you become a vibrava like me, you can fly up any wall. We could fly out of this village, up Jagged Pass, and go anywhere."_

" _Where's anywhere?" asked Nauki._

" _Anywhere is everywhere, and that's where we're going," Ikaika said._

 _Nauki did not quite understand what she meant, but her words touched him in a different sort of way. "Okay! I'll go with you. I just have to evolve."_

" _Get strong, and you will. Eat your lunch everyday."_

 _At the word lunch, Nauki recalled his song, and he began to sing._

"A trapinch came down the walk

With big teeth for the bite!

He took his lunch up in his mouth

And wouldn't let it fight!

Once he'd had his fill

He glowed oh so bright!

He spread his two new pairs of wings

And left the ground for flight!"

" _Exactly," Ikaika giggled._

" _Yeah!" Nauki cheered. He started to skip about in glee, humming the trapinch song, when suddenly, Pa'ani shifted and toppled off his back. He gasped and turned to catch her, only to see the beautiful marill doll topple down into the bottomless hole. The darkness swallowed her, and she was gone._

" _No! Pa'ani!" Nauki lunged for the hole, but Ikaika's arms grabbed him and held him back._

" _I have to get her back!" Nauki wailed. "Ika, she fell!"_

" _I know. I'm sorry, I know, but you can't go down there. You won't be able to climb back up," said Ikaika sadly._

 _He pried himself from her arms and faced her. "Then you go get her!"_

" _I can't fly down there. My wings won't fit," said Ikaika. She sighed. "Nauki, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here." She opened her arms as an offering, and Nauki rushed into them and started to cry into her scales._

" _Pa'ani," he sobbed._

" _Hey, listen," said Ikaika. She pulled Nauki off her so they could talk. "Pa'ani isn't gone."_

" _She fell! She's gone."_

" _No, she isn't! She might not be here physically, but she's right here." Ikaika gently touched Nauki's heart. "She'll be in your heart. You have to carry her, okay? Carry her in your heart so she doesn't fall again."_

 _Nauki glanced down at his chest. "She's heavy."_

" _Not too heavy, I hope," Ikaika joked._

 _Nauki shook his head. "No, not too heavy. I'll carry her, I promise."_

" _That's mah boy." Ikaika patted his head. "Come on. Let's head back."_

It had been many years since Nauki had begun carrying Pa'ani in his heart, and he had not stopped since. Sometimes her weight hurt. Sometimes she grew so heavy he feared she would drop right out of his chest, but he held her tight with all his strength and refused to let her go. He had yet to fail.

The onslaught of flashbacks made the tiny cave feel suffocating, so Nauki decided it was time to head home for the day. He neatened up as quickly as he could, grabbed his waaliona to practice at home, and made his way out and back down the simmering cliff face, singing his song under his breath as he went.

As he crossed the town in the direction of home, Nauki stopped short. The feeling from earlier overtook him again. Somewhere, someone- or something- was watching him. _How did I forget that?!_ he scolded himself. Mustering up his courage, he called out, "If anyone's there, come out!"

He was half-surprised when a blue face popped out of a bush. "Oh, sorry, did I scare you?"

Nauki glared at the new pokémon. She was completely unlike any he'd ever seen. Even her color, bright blue, was something rarely seen in Lavaridge. She wore a small, white stone around her neck. "It's rude to spy on people."

She chuckled. "Is it? Whoops."

Nauki grunted in annoyance when the girl ducked back into the bush. He marched over and parted the leaves to reveal the girl with a backpack and several newspapers spread out around her. "What're you doing? Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Nalo. Nalo Mudkip."

"What's a mudkip?"

Nalo giggled. "Guess you've never been far from Lavaridge, aye?"

"I've never been up Jagged Pass," Nauki admitted. A light bulb flicked on in his brain. "You must've crossed it! What's your opinion?"

"On what, Jagged Pass? It's a rough trip. Got this." Nalo showed off a scab on the bottom of her foot as if it were a battle scar. "It's crossable, though. Why?"

"No reason," said Nauki. "Where're you from? Why're you here? What type are you?"

"I'm from far, far away. South Hoenn, to be exact," said Nalo. "I'm here on a secret mission."

Nauki took a step back. "I'm not supposed to trust pokémon from South Hoenn. You're a water-type, aren't you?"

Nalo frowned. "Considering we're right at the foot of Mt. Chimney, I'm guessing your Groutian. Don't tell me you're one of those discriminating Groutians. I mean, I'm Kyogran, but I'm still talking to you like you're not scum."

"You worship the Sea Monster?" asked Nauki. His voice carried no disgust or hatred, but instead, curiosity. A spectacle such as a Kyogran was one he'd never seen before.

"Worship is a strong word. More… respect. Though, if the pokémon from my hometown heard you calling him the Sea Monster, they'd tie a rock to your leg and throw you in the ocean." Nalo giggled at the face he made. "Oh, come on. I'm _kidding_."

"What's a Kyogran doing in Lavaridge Town? We're a Groutian town. Kyograns don't come here," inquired Nauki.

"I'm on a secret mission," said Nalo. "It's very important, and very secret. Tell me, Trapinch, do you know anything about the storm?"

"The storm? Why would I know anything about the storm? It's just a storm," said Nauki.

"Just a storm? _Just a storm?!_ Any ordinary storm would not go on for four years without ever ceasing. Any ordinary storm would not go through drastic switches between blistering heat and torrential downpours. No ordinary storm can be causing earthquakes one second and thunder the next." As she spoke, her voice grew angrier, but there was something else Nauki noticed. A bit of passion sparkling in her eyes, excitement and respect. He couldn't be certain if she hated the storm or loved it.

"Well, maybe not ordinary, but a storm's a storm," said Nauki.

Nalo groaned. "Look, I told you about Jagged Pass, right? So you should tell me about the storm. It's a fair deal."

"We never made any deal!" Nauki fumed.

"I mean, we could always fight instead. I'm guessing you've never fought a water-type before, but you can guess what it's like from the constant downpours. Ground-types don't like water, do they?" Her eyes contained a mischievous, almost dangerous glint.

Nauki backed up. "You're threatening me?"

"No… Maybe. Look, I just really need to know about the storm. If you don't know anything, could you refer me to someone who might?" Nalo asked.

The trapinch glared at her for a moment before saying, "'Ao'o Machamp. He's the village elder. He might know, but he won't talk to a Kyogran."

"Thank you, cousin," said Nalo. She started to gather up her papers.

"We aren't cousins," said Nauki, but Nalo didn't respond. Once she'd gathered up the last of her papers in the bag, she swung it onto her back and started to walk, but she only got a few paces before turning back.

"Oh, and where might I find this 'Ao'o guy?" She made a sheepish grin.

If Nauki hadn't been so annoyed by the mudkip, he might've found her amusing. "The old house by the hot spring."

"Thanks, cousin!" She padded off.

* * *

Dinnertime was always a dower occasion. It might've started improving by now, but Nauki always refused to sit at the table unless there were four chairs. Every evening, his father set three plates, and the trapinch set a forth. Each and every dinner was shared with an empty chair and an untouched dish, because Nauki could not help but think _she might come home today._

Of course, that empty chair was the black hole that sucked any pleasantness out of anything that dared come close to it. The two flygons, Makua and Hine, picked at their berry dishes and mumbled about work and current events halfheartedly, while Nauki's gaze was glued to the plate that was growing cold.

"Did you hear the news from Mt. Pyre? There was a huge landslide there, and several pokémon died," said Makua, Nauki's father.

"That's the fourth one this month," sighed Hine. "No doubt from the downpours."

"Indeed. There's also been flooding in Lilycove. There're boats in the lower streets."

"Another earthquake hit Fallarbor."

"That's awfully close to here. I'm surprised Mt. Chimney didn't blow."

"We got lucky. That lava would come right down Jagged Pass. We'd better hope to we don't get any earthquakes and landslides, too."

The house shuddered, no doubt due to the torrential downpour slamming down on the roof of the house, halting the conversation for a moment. Though the vibrations would've sent anyone else fleeing for cover, the family barely acknowledged them. As they ceased, Hine sighed. "It's been so long since these storms started. Heat waves and rainstorms all day, every day for nearly four years. Our poor region is ailing."

"Hey," said Nauki, entering the conversation like an endangered whale breaching the surface. "Do you guys know anything about the storm?"

Makua and Hine blinked. "What's brought this on?" his father asked.

"Just… just wondering… Well, do you?"

It was Hine who responded first. "Only that the worst of it seems to take place along the coast. Lilycove City, Slateport City, and Mt. Pyre all get hit especially hard. You might think of the coast as a sort of epicenter."

Makua looked surprised. "Learn all this at work?"

Hine shrugged. "Traveling a lot has its benefits." She turned to Nauki. "I'm sorry I don't know more."

"No, that's okay. Thanks, guys," said Nauki. Dinner only half finished, he pushed his chair back and scuttled off to his room, leaving his parents properly confused.

Nauki always found it queer how it was possible he could love something he hated so much and hate something he loved so much. His bedroom was one such subject. Like the dinner table, the room was trapped 1,404 days in the past. Ikaika's bed was still in the far corner, just as unruly as she had always kept it. Nauki's toys from four years past were scattered on the floor where he and Ikaika had played with them. There were new elements, of course. His books on composers were stacked at the foot of his bed, there were several sheets of music slightly crumpled on the floor, and the waaliona sitting on the dresser was in desperate need of repairs.

Nauki did not bother to light a candle this evening as he usually would have. He marched over to the window, climbed up onto the sill, and pushed the glass out, dropping ungracefully to the red, rocky ground as he did. Immediately, his mood shriveled. The downpour was coming down hard, and it felt as if it were raining knives instead of droplets. The hard earth was so slippery he could easily fall and break his neck, and puddles were forming in the lower parts of town. Most nights were like this, while the days were spent in blistering heat. Despite his hatred for anything wet, he marched out into the cold. "Nalo! NALO!" He wasn't too fond of the mudkip, and he knew meeting with a water-type wouldn't be good if he was caught, but with a new idea formed in his head, there was no way he couldn't go find her. "NAAALOOO!"

Over the thundering of the rain, he didn't even hear her approaching. "What?"

Nauki was so surprised, he yelped, "Present!" and spun around, causing himself to flop ungracefully. "Ouch."

Nalo burst out laughing. "You sure can jump! Why 'present'?"

"Shut up," Nauki mumbled. "I found out something I thought you'd want to know."

Her grin vanished, replaced by a serious glare. "Something about the storm? What is it? Tell me."

"My mom travels a lot, so she knows what happens around Hoenn. She said the storm are concentrated around the coast. It's the epicenter."

"You're gonna have to speak up. I can't hear you over this lovely rain."

"I SAID THE STORM'S EPICENTER IS THE COASTLINE. LILYCOVE, MT. PYRE, AND SLATEPORT."

Nalo considered this for a long while, the gears turning behind her eyes. "Of course. That makes sense! I have to make way for the coast immediately."

"You'll never get up Jagged Pass in this weather. You'll slip and die," said Nauki.

"What?"

"YOU'LL DIP AND SLIE ON JAGGED PASS. I MEAN, SLIP AND DIE."

"Oh, yeah, that's true. I'll spend the night here, then. Know a place where I can crash?" Nalo asked.

"You can use my secret hideout, but only if you promise not to touch anything," suggested Nauki.

"I promise I won't set a fin on your precious belongings. Where is this secret base?"

"If you go in front of the hot spring, it's a short climb up the wall. Look out for the cave entrance," Nauki instructed. "Can you make the climb?"

"Please, I'm a water-type. Rain doesn't bother me," said Nalo. "And if I can't, I can always bed down in that hot spring. It's super cozy."

Nauki could not fathom how anyone could fall asleep in a bath, but he decided not to question it. Maybe water-types slept in baths all the time. He moved closer to avoid any further shouting and said, "Okay, well I'm going home. Meet me tomorrow?"

"Why? I want to get going ASAP," Nalo muttered.

"Please, just do. Think of it as a trade for my secret base. A deal's a deal."

Nalo laughed. "Ah, how the tables have turned. I'll see you tomorrow, Cousin." She turned and vanished into the storm, and Nauki returned to the dryness of his abode.

* * *

It was not until the next evening that Nauki found a chance to meet with Nalo. He had been forced to spend the entire day helping with repairs from the rainstorm, not that he had wanted to. By morning, the storm clouds had made way for another day of heat, the kind that seemed to put time in slow motion, and it continued into the night.

As soon as the note was properly placed on his parents' bedside table, Nauki returned to his room, grabbed his pack, and climbed out the window. He did not fly away as he'd always thought he would, but instead walked out to the forest where he hoped Nalo would be waiting. Earlier, he'd seen her make her way out to the woods, and he'd almost rushed out to make sure she wasn't going back on their agreement, but the sighting was almost instantaneously forgotten when an idea for a new song popped into his head like an unannounced guest ruining your day's plans. It was not until now that he remembered, and his fretting returned.

To his luck, Nalo came out to meet him. "Let's make this quick. I've got places to be."

Nauki got right down to business. "Take me with you."

Nalo's eyes widened. "What? Why?"

"There's someone I lost 1,405 days ago. She's missing, and I'm sick of waiting around for her to show up when she could be imprisoned or hurt or… I have to find her," explained Nauki.

"This seems a bit drastic."

"It isn't. Nalo, I'm going mad sitting around here. My grades are awful, everyone hates me, and the only person who's ever had my back isn't here anymore. I have to find her, and I have to bring her home. Please!"

"Happy endings? Wow, way to make me cringe," Nalo teased. "And why with me? Why not set off on your own?"

"There's safety in numbers. Besides, I get lonely," said Nauki. "You probably know a thing or two about Hoenn if you're out and about without parents or anything."

Nauki thought he saw Nalo flinch slightly, but before he could even comprehend it, her joking demeanor returned. "Ah, so you wish to use me for my superior knowledge and strength," she teased. "No, in all seriousness, you'll only slow me down."

"Oh, come on! I know some good moves. I've been training. If you ever get in a fight with an electric-type, I can help," said Nauki. "And I can help find out things about the storm, since you're so interested in it."

Nalo narrowed her eyes. "Does heading to the capital sound like a good plan to you?"

"Yeah, it's a start. I'll go all over Hoenn if I've got to."

Nalo groaned. "Fine. I'll take you to Lilycove City, but only as far as there. We split up after that, got it?"

"Thanks! I promise you won't regret it. So, we leave tonight?"

"Yeah. Right now, in fact. Are you all ready to go?"

Nauki gestured to his bag. "I've got everything I need in here." He had found a few minutes to vacate his secret base the previous afternoon. He had his current journal, the picture of Ikaika, his waaliona, some sheet music, berries, and any other provisions he might need. The only thing he'd refrained from packing was water, for trapinches can go a week without feeling the slightest bit of thirst.

"Okay, Mr. Prepared. Let's go!" The trapinch and the mudkip headed out into the woods, and the little town of Lavaridge fell further and further away.


	3. Investigations in Slateport City

**Chapter Two: Investigations in Slateport City**

* * *

"So this is Jagged Pass," Nauki observed. He gazed upon the narrow, treacherous path rising steeply up the side of Mt. Chimney, riddled with sharp stones, treacherous drops, and steep climbs. "Lucky I'm good at climbing."

"Once we get to the peak, we can take the cable car down to Route 111. Then we'll go to Mauville City through Fiery Path," said Nalo.

Nauki knew where Mauville was, and it was certainly not in the direction of the Hoenn capital. "Why Mauville? Aren't we going to Lilycove?"

Nalo gave Nauki a whack on the head and said, "Dummy! We have to go through Mauville to get to Lilycove if you don't wanna go through jungle. Though, I am thinking of stopping in Slateport first."

"Going to Slateport won't help me find what I'm looking for," Nauki grumbled. "Pokémon in Lilycove know the latest news from everywhere. If someone's seen her, they'd be there."

"Hey, you're only hitching a ride with me. I still have my secret mission. You told me the storm's epicenter is the coastline. That includes Slateport, which is a hell of a lot closer than Lilycove. I promise we'll go to Lilycove right after, okay?"

Nauki muttered, "Fine," but still shot her a glare.

If Nalo noticed, she didn't let on. "Good! Now, come on. I'd like to be off this stupid mountain before morning."

They started up the mountain, and Nauki quickly realized just how dangerous Jagged Pass truly was. He and Nalo had to make it up ninety degree inclines triple their height, scrabbling up rough rocks and spikes as they did. By the time they were only a quarter of the way up, Nauki's feet were covered in scrapes and cuts. Nalo, who had smooth skin instead of tough hide, was much worse off.

"I hate this stupid pass and this stupid climb and this stupid mountain," Nalo grumbled when she got to a dozen cuts and scrapes.

When they came to the steepest, longest climb along the way, Nauki's heart leaped into his throat. Flanking the climb were two drops that Ikaika might name bottomless pits. Falling from this height certainly would be fatal.

"You can go first."

Nauki whirled around with mouth agape. "What?!"

"You're from around here. You'll be fine," Nalo said with a smile. When Nauki didn't move, she gave him a gentle push forward and grinned.

"I really don't like you," Nauki muttered, and started to climb.

"You and my mom should start a club," said Nalo a little too cheerily.

Ignoring the mudkip, the trapinch's heart hammered in his chest as he made his way up the steep incline. His feet ached, and he had to physically keep himself from looking down into the black abysses. He ended up forgetting for a moment, and when he glanced down to see the sheer height he was at, his breathing quickened, and his hold became weak. Almost instantaneously, he started to sing.

" _A trapinch came down the walk_

 _With big teeth for the bite._

 _He took his lunch up in his mouth_

 _And wouldn't let it fight."_

"Umm, are you singing?" Nalo called up at him.

" _Once he'd had his fill_

 _He glowed oh so bright._

 _He spread his two new pairs of wings_

 _And left the ground for flight."_

When he could no longer feel his heart on his ribcage, Nauki resumed his climb. He clambered up onto the top and called down, "Your turn!"

Nalo made it up, though much slower than he had. When she arrived, Nauki was gently tapping a rock at irregular beats. The mudkip cocked her head. "Why're you tapping?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm tapping a song," Nauki explained. "It's all I could do waiting for you lump to get up here."

"Hey, I'm a water-type. We're built for swimming, not climbing up dumb mountains," grumbled Nalo. "Come on, we're almost to the top. We can make it to the bottom before dawn, and then we'll look for somewhere to bed down."

When they finally arrived at the peak of Mt. Chimney, Nauki said to Nalo, "Can I go look around for a moment? I've never been here before, and it's supposed to be amazing."

"Fine, whatever. I'll go convince the cable car people to take us down at this hour." She headed into the building, leaving Nauki to explore on his own.

Before nearing the mouth of the volcano, Nauki turned and gazed out at the view, and his eyes widened at the panorama. The region of Hoenn was sprawled out before him. He could see the rainforests and rivers, the desert just below, his hometown, the seas beyond, everything. He spotted Mt. Pyre looming up over a great city that was probably Lilycove, and even further, a stark white mountain breached the surface of the ocean like Kyogre himself. All his life, he had never expected Hoenn to be so _big_.

 _Ikaika is somewhere out there,_ he thought. _I'm coming to find you, sis. And then I'm gonna bring you home._

"Hey, Cousin!" Nauki looked up to see Nalo peering out of the cable car station. "We're leaving."

"Coming!" Nauki scuttled over and entered the building, his desire to see Mt. Chimney's bubbling magma forgotten.

The station was unlike anything he'd ever seen. Several woolly pokémon he recognized as flaaffies were powering some sort of strange, loud device. A large, metal box hanging on a wire was ready to go. A sleepy-looking ampharos came to greet them. "Okay, let's get this done already. In ya go!"

"Thank you, sir," said Nalo. She led Nauki into the box, and the ampharos closed the door behind them.

"Is it just me, or does this seem really-" Nauki paused for a moment as the box lurched and started downward. "-Unsafe?"

"Don't worry. I rode up here, and it didn't explode once," said Nalo. She went over to a window to watch the view.

"But how does it work, this thing? Does it slide down?"

"I don't think anyone really knows, not even that ampharos. He just knows how to work it," Nalo explained. "There are weird things like this all over Hoenn. They seem useless at first, but when electric-types work them, they move as if by magic. People think they're from before the Age of Beasts."

Nauki had heard of such things. Glass orbs that lit up when electric-types touched them, strange moving staircases in the department store of Lilycove, doors that opened by themselves. The pokémon of before the Age of Beasts must have been magicians. "Wouldn't it be neat to time travel back and find out what it was like then?"

"Let's find Jirachi. Then we can wish to go back," Nalo suggested half-jokingly.

Nauki was sure he was expected to know the name, but it was completely unfamiliar. "Who's Jirachi?"

Nalo gasped and whirled around to face him. "You don't know Jirachi?!"

Nauki shook his head. "I know Groudon and Kyogre. Oh, and the Kaulike Legendary. My sister told me about Latios and Latias once, but I can't really remember who they are. Are those two even legendaries? I've never met anyone who prays to them. Do you think they're siblings?"

"Cousin, shut up," Nalo ordered, halting Nauki's meandering train of thought. "Jirachi's a legendary. It's gonna be a little while before we get down, so I'll tell you his story. Okay?"

Nauki hesitated. "A story?"

"Yeah, a story. Ever heard of them?" Nalo teased, giving him a weird look. "What's the problem?"

"I just…" Nauki hadn't sat down and listened to a story in 1,405 days, and he'd never heard one that didn't come from Ikaika. _Maybe Ika would want me to listen. It's been so long… I guess I have missed storytelling. Besides, Nalo seems pretty set on educating me._ "Sorry. Go ahead." He sat down and got comfortable, opening his ears for the tale.

"Thousands and thousands of years ago, high up in the sky, there was a living star. No star in the sky is truly alive, not really, but this star was. It was a breathing creature, a beast of light and dust and heat. Pokémon would look up at the breathing star, and when they asked it for something, they would find that their wishes came true. No one ever questioned the breathing star, but they all trusted it with their hopes and dreams, and the star never once failed them.

"There was a day when the breathing star grew sad. No pokémon had asked it for anything in many, many years, and the star no longer saw any reason to be apart of the sky. The breathing star was hungry and lonesome. While it dwelled in its sadness, it took no notice as it began to fall. It fell down, down, down to the earth, and when the breathing star collided with a nameless pokémon on the ground, they became Jirachi.

"Jirachi was a beautiful pokémon. It is not known what he may have looked like, only that he shone with the light of the breathing star. Because his crash to the ground had been taxing on his tiny build, he became so sleepy that he did not wake for another thousand years.

When Jirachi woke a thousand years later, he knew that he did not have long before he would have to return to sleep. He had twenty-six hours precisely, and then he would be forced to return to rest. This would be Jirachi's only chance to go outside and explore the new world he had crashed down to, so he left the cave where he had slept and wandered out into the world.

"Jirachi was fascinated by this new place. He saw all sorts of things: mareeps and bagons, pidgeys and magikarp, pikachus and marills. He had an encounter with the eon dragon Latios, but that is another story for another time. By the time he was finished speaking with Latios, he only had sixteen more hours until he would return to sleep.

"Jirachi wandered about Hoenn, but he realized shortly that something was missing. He was finally awake and able to move about, but he was not happy. It was then that he realized he had not granted any wishes in such a long time, and the Wish Maker was eager to do so again. He approached the closest pokémon, a lairon, and asked him, 'My name is Jirachi, and I would like to grant you a wish. What do you want most in the world?'

"The lairon scoffed. 'Do you think me an idiot? I could wish and wish and wish to you, but you cannot grant me what I want. Be gone with you, fraud.'

"Jirachi was surprised by this, for he had never been doubted before. 'I speak honestly, Lairon. Please share your wish. I will not disappoint.'

"The lairon only wanted Jirachi to leave him alone, so he decided to humor the Wish Maker. 'Very well. My dream is to leave the ground and fly. My body is heavy so, but if I could become light and fly up, I would never ask for anything else.'

"'Then fly, Lairon.' Jirachi's tiny body glowed with the light of the breathing star, and the lairon began to change. His body became tiny and lightweight, and when Jirachi's work was done, the lairon was no longer a lairon, but instead a beautifly.

"The beautifly cheered and said, 'Jirachi, you did not lie! I thank you! How should I repay you?'

"Jirachi shook his head and smiled. 'I ask for no repayment. I get all I want in the giving of wishes and no more. Spread the word, friendly Beautifly. For sixteen hours, I, the Wish Maker, shall grant the desire of any who comes before me. After sixteen hours, I shall bed down for a long while, and there will be no more wishes for a long time. Until then, any request will be granted. Tell all!'

"Jirachi returned to his cave, and the masses followed. Pokémon lined up for miles, waiting to receive their wishes. Jirachi turned down no person, and word spread throughout Hoenn quickly. For sixteen hours, whatever you asked would come true.

"However, all was not good in Hoenn, for an evil lurked. There was a pokémon known as Deoxys. Like Jirachi, he had fallen from the stars above and achieved new life on the earth. But in contrast, while Jirachi was amiable, Deoxys was malevolent. He was a pokémon who could alter the look of his body to suit his needs, and with this strange power, he sought destruction. He raced across Hoenn, leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. How Deoxys came to be is a story for another day, but know that this is not his final adventure.

"Deoxys was a greedy pokémon. He wished to gain power and live to the end of time so that he might exercise his strength eternally. So Deoxys went to Jirachi's cave in the final hour, pushed aside the crowds of pokémon still present, and snarled down at Jirachi.

"'You who claim to come from the great stars above, I demand my wish. I want to live forever, undying, so I may spread my reign of terror across this region of the seas. Grant my wish, tiny fool! Make me live forever!'

"Jirachi was a benevolent pokémon, and he had no desire to give Deoxys his desire, so but he could not turn down a wish laid out before him. So he nodded and said with a smile, 'Of course, Star Brother. You will live forever.'

"So Jirachi began to glow. Deoxys shone, and the Shape Changer began to change. His arms became long and spindly, his body hard and tall, his feet sprawling in all directions. When the wish was done and the light dimmed down, the murderer Deoxys had become a great, big tree in the center of the cave.

"When the sixteen hours had almost ended, Jirachi asked the pokémon to kindly leave him be. Because he was so kind and generous, the pokémon granted his wish, and Jirachi found himself alone in the last moments of his consciousness. He approached the Tree of Stars, which had once been Deoxys, and discovered a small hollow in the trunk's center. He slipped inside and drifted off into a thousand year's sleep, nestled in the heart of his brother."

Nalo's voice faded as the story came to an end. Nauki was now sprawled out on the floor, listening eagerly. He felt 1,405 days younger. "I like Jirachi," he said. "Do you think we could find him and wish our missions were complete?"

"Jirachi is only awake for twenty-six hours every thousand years. The likelihood of him being awake right now is pretty low, and if he were, finding him would be nearly impossible. It'd be a waste of time," said Nalo.

"But in the story, he invited everyone for wishes and spread the word all over Hoenn! Why wouldn't he do that now?"

Nalo gave him a patronizing look. "Gee, good question, Cousin. Why don't we see Kyogre splashing around in the seas anymore? Why don't we see Groudon stomping about, or the Kaulike Legendary flying around?"

Nauki pretended not to be hurt. "Alright, I get it. And we're not cousins. I have a name. It's Nauki."

Nalo tilted her head slightly. "The answer to a question I never asked."

"We're gonna be traveling companions. Don't you think it'd help to know my name?"

"You're a trapinch and a cousin. Cousin Trapinch. It's sufficient," Nalo shrugged.

"You're impossible!" Nauki roared. He got up and stomped over to the other side of the car.

 _I can't believe she's the same pokémon who was telling me a story two minutes ago._

The car lurched suddenly, causing a spike of fright to shoot through Nauki's chest, but he realized quickly that they had only reached the bottom of Mt. Chimney. "Wow! We didn't crash!"

"Told you, Cousin," Nalo teased.

A flaaffy who was probably half asleep opened the door, allowing Nauki and Nalo to exit. They left the building and found themselves at the base of the mountain. Nauki sneezed, for ash was raining down from Mt. Chimney's cone.

"I hate this. I'm surprised the Fallarbor pokémon haven't suffocated yet," Nalo muttered.

"The ash comes down on Lavaridge sometimes, but my mom told me it usually goes north," said Nauki. "She travels for work sometimes."

"Yet another irrelevant fact," Nalo muttered. Before Nauki could even retaliate, she said, "Let's get through Fiery Path. There are some ruffians robbing water-types there, but they should bed down for the night."

"There are robbers in Fiery Path?" Nauki asked as they headed towards the cave entrance, his voice quaking just a bit.

"There are robbers everywhere. The only safe travel is air travel," Nalo explained. "Unlucky for me, you haven't evolved yet."

"My sister's a vibrava. She could've flown us right to Slateport," Nauki announced.

"That's helpful, listing things we don't have," muttered Nalo.

"I really don't like you."

"You're free to leave."

Nauki didn't leave, and the pair arrived at the entrance to Fiery Path. It was a tunnel running under Mt. Chimney that was apparently hot and humid. Travelers used it to bypass the desert that took up most of Route 111, but it was also the frequent hangout of Groutian criminals and aggressive vigilantes.

"Let's go." Nalo led the way into the tunnel.

The red rock forming the tunnel reminded Nauki much of home. There were several hot springs along the way, pumping steam and fog into the air. Going through Fiery Pass was like walking through a hot cloud. The temperature must've been well into the high nineties, but being a desert pokémon, Nauki didn't mind much. Nalo, on the other hand, was continuously drenching herself icy water to keep cool.

"Think there're any thugs around?" Nauki asked. He could not help but feel nervous. Every hissing vent and echoing noise was another bandit leaping out to grab him.

"Probably. Why don't you talk louder so they'll find us?"

"You're so rude, you know. You could try being a little nicer!" Nauki growled. Nalo turned to respond, but by that time, Nauki was starting to wander off, his attention captured by something that had caught his eye.

"What's that?" Nalo inquired, stepping up to examine the thing Nauki had picked up.

It was a red, crystal sphere. Its exterior was a dark, ruby red, but deep inside, there was a bright red glow only just breaching the surface. It felt warm in Nauki's paws, as if heat was rolling off it in waves.

"Wow," Nauki said. "This must be treasure or something!"

"You bet. That'll fetch a high price at the Lilycove Department Store. Mind carrying it for us?" said Nalo.

"I might wanna keep it. Maybe it's a good luck charm!" Nauki suggested.

"The only thing gems are good for is getting money. Food isn't cheap, and I'm running low."

"We'll see." Nauki moved the stone to his jaws, opened his bag, and tucked it safely inside. It added a considerable weight to his burden and would probably make his back ache later, but, for some reason, he didn't mind. Something was telling him he needed to keep this stone. He could feel its warmth on his back the rest of the way through Fiery Pass.

* * *

When the duo arrived in Slateport City after a few days' travel, Nauki felt pure amazement. Never had he expected any town to be so _huge_. The stone streets were white and laid out in a grid fashion. There were several large white buildings on the city's eastern border, and many white houses dotted the place. It was probably over thrice the size of Lavaridge, and the air had an foreign, salty tang to it.

Nalo took one look at Nauki's face and laughed. "Aren't you easy to impress! This city's only half the size of Mauville, you know."

"Well, maybe I would know that if you would've let me take a look around Mauville," said Nauki. "This is my first actual visit to a big city."

"Well, just be careful. You're in Kyogran territory now, so don't go picking any fights," said Nalo. "We dodged a bullet there in Mauville."

Nauki remembered it well. After leaving Fiery Pass, the two of them had gone down the southern portion of Route 111 and arrived in Mauville, where several electrikes had approached them, demanding to know what a water-type was doing so far inland. Electing not to fight, it had taken a lot of work to outrun the aggressors, and their journey down Route 110 had been hasty. "I'll be careful," he promised. "Oh! Can we go look at the ocean?"

Nalo said, "Sure you can. Just be prepared for a lot of water."

"Great!" Nauki paused. "So, which way's the ocean?"

Nalo pointed south. "We can go to the beach on Route 109. It'll be a perfect view from there."

"Let's go!" Nauki took off running. Nalo sighed and went after him.

When they arrived at the beach, the first thing that caught Nauki's attention was the sand. It was gold in color with just a hint of red, sprawling out in all directions. The second he set foot in it, he sank several inches. Then, when he spotted the ocean, he forgot the wondrous sand immediately, and his big mouth dropped open.

There was water _everywhere_! It was more water than he had ever seen in his life, stretching as far as the eye could see. It was a glittering dark blue, dotted with white foam and black-green seaweed. And not only that, but the water was _moving_. It shifted like a breathing creature, rising and falling rhythmically. On the shore, it would curl up and crash down like great claws.

When Nalo arrived, Nauki asked, "Is the water alive?"

She shook her head. "No more alive than any other water. I don't really know why it moves like it does, but I wanna visit the Science Institute on Route 119 and ask them. Some people say it has to do with the moon."

"What does the moon have to do with the ocean?" Nauki asked skeptically.

"Beats me. Though I did always noticed that the waves are bigger when the moon is fuller," said Nalo. She then pointed southwest. "If you get in the water and keep swimming that way, you'd reach my hometown."

"You live in the middle of the water?" asked Nauki.

Nalo gave him a soft whack on the head. "What are you, an idiot? I live on an island. Haven't you heard of Dewford Town?"

Nauki thought for a moment. "I think so. It rings a bell."

"There are plenty of island cities in Kyogre's Hoenn. There's Mossdeep, Ever Grande, Dewford. I guess Pacifidlog counts a little, but that little place actually _is_ in the middle of the water. Then you've got your underwater cities, but those structures weren't there before the Age of Beasts, so they're a lot uglier than the regular cities you see around," Nalo explained.

"I'd like to see them," Nauki decided.

"Ha! You might be able to get away with walking around Slateport, but if a ground-type showed up in an island city, he'd be spotted in two seconds flat."

Nauki growled. "Well, you got around Lavaridge without any trouble!"

"Why do you think I was hiding the whole time, dummy? And your village elder told me to shove off a good dozen times before he would tell me anything useful."

"Well, I'm with you, so it's better than being alone around here."

Nalo shrugged. "If you're lucky. Anyways, let's head back into town. I wanna visit the Oceanic Museum." Without waiting for a confirmation, she turned and left the beach.

Nauki followed behind her. "The Oceanic Museum? Why there?" Hine had told him about it, but he wasn't sure what the relics of the past would have to do with a storm in the present day.

"It could be handy. Plus, we need to kill some time until the next storm hits here."

"But that could be weeks!"

"Fine, fine. We'll kill some time until the next storm hits, or until we find out where the next one's hitting," said Nalo. "It's been pretty unpredictable, but there have been a few patterns. Like the coastline epicenter, which is something I probably should have figured out on my own."

"But you didn't. A dummy like me did it for you!" Nauki taunted.

"Okay, maybe you aren't completely stupid. Just pick up the pace! I don't wanna get there in two years," she grumbled.

Smiling proudly, Nauki moved a little faster. They made a right and arrived at the enormous white building that was the Oceanic Museum.

* * *

After they paid the entry fee (which Nalo complained about for being so high), the trapinch and the mudkip began to explore the museum. Nalo was so absorbed in her research she outright ignored him, so Nauki was left mostly on his own. He gazed at diagrams he didn't really understand, admired models of asymmetrical ships, and took a look at fossils of extinct pokémon. He wasn't really sure about looking at the bones of people who had once been alive, but the second he started to contemplate it, he would get distracted and move on.

It was forty-five minutes later when Nalo finally came to find him. "Finished?" he asked.

"Not quite, but I found something interesting," Nalo explained. Without asking for permission, she herded Nauki over to a white rock about eighteen feet in diameter. It bore the imprint of a giant fin marked with a unique pattern.

"Can you read?" Nalo asked.

"Of course I can read!" Nauki grumbled. He started to read the label, but he quickly grew bored and said, "I just don't want to."

Nalo muttered something that was probably offensive and explained, "This was found outside the Empty Mountain, which is basically a dormant volcano out to sea. No one is sure what sort of pokémon left this mark, but after studying the rock, scientists believe it indicates that a huge storm once took place in Hoenn, probably around the Empty Mountain." When Nauki looked disinterested, she gave him a shove. " _Huge storm!_ Do you understand what this means?"

"Something like this happened before?" Nauki guessed.

"Yes! This whole thing happened at least once before, most likely before the Age of Beasts. The storm might also have something to do with this giant pokémon, whoever he or she is. This is a huge clue!" Nalo squealed in excitement.

"Could this fin print be Kyogre's?" Nauki asked.

"Maybe. No one knows what Kyogre looks like. I always imagined him like a giant, cooler version of a wailord," said Nalo. "The label also says this rock was studied at the Science Institute. That should be our next stop."

"Okay, but we're going to Lilycove soon, right?" Nauki fretted.

"Yeah, that's coming up."

 _Well, that's reassuring._

Nalo took a step to depart, when suddenly, there was a huge bang and the doors flew open, revealing five pokémon. A female sharpedo led them inside. "Nobody move! This is a robbery!"

The visitors froze in fear, and several frightened shouts rang out. However, no one made a move to fight back. Three more of the robbers- an azumarill, a goldeen, and a lombre- positioned themselves in a circle around the visitors. The goldeen stood in front of the door. The masquerain started to collect museum exhibits in a bag. Sharpedo growled, "If any of you move one inch, I will rip you apart in a heartbeat."

Nauki was so terrified he thought he might die of fright. Nothing like this ever happened in his hometown. What in Lavaridge would even interest criminals like these? Ikaika had told him stories of heroes and heroines fighting bad guys, but he wasn't sure exactly if he was supposed to do anything or not.

Masquerain moved to grab the fin-imprinted rock, but before she could touch it, Nalo stepped in front of it and growled, "Don't touch it."

Masquerain looked shocked. "Excuse me, runt?"

"I said don't touch it. Everything else is up for grabs, but not the rock. It's important," Nalo said.

Masquerain glanced at Sharpedo for help, who came over and growled, "Is there a problem here?"

"Yeah, tell your grunt not to touch this rock. You can't have this one," Nalo said.

Nauki thought, _What in Groudon's name is she thinking?!_ He was half tempted to grab Nalo, hold her mouth shut, and beg Sharpedo's forgiveness, but he didn't move.

Sharpedo looked more annoyed than anything. "I don't have time for this. Azumarill!" She came to her leader's summons. "Knock that mudkip out. She's being irritating."

"With pleasure," Azumarill said. Sharpedo and Masquerain moved on, leaving the duo alone with the fairy-type.

Nalo backed towards Nauki and whispered, "You ready to fight?"

"We have to fight?!" Nauki yelped a little too loud.

"You sure do!" Azumarill squeaked in an extremely high-pitched voice.

Nauki was not ready for the first attack. A stream of bubbles shot towards him and burst, spraying him with water. He cried out in surprise and pain. He'd never been hit by a water-type move before, but Hine had told him they were lethal to ground-types. If he was going to survive this, he and Nalo would have to work quickly.

Nalo responded first. Roaring with ferocity, she shot a beam of water, hitting Azumarill in the chest. She then created a pool of water beneath her and dove inside.

Nauki raced forward, his veins rushing with adrenalin. He bit Azumarill on the arm, but when she looked hardly fazed, he remembered what he'd learned about type effectiveness in school. Dark moves don't do well against fairy-types. His mind worked at the speed of light, and he created a tomb of sand around Azumarill, effectively trapping her.

Azumarill growled in frustration. She whirled around and tried to hit him with her tail, which had been cloaked in water, but Nauki dodged aside and kicked up sand in her face. Nalo then burst out of her pool and slammed into Azumarill. Nauki finished her with feint attack, and Azumarill collapsed.

"Teamwork!" Nauki cheered. He offered Nalo a high-five, which- to his surprise- she accepted.

"Azumarill!" Lombre rushed over in concern and then shot the duo a hateful glare.

Nauki wondered for a second where his fear had gone. It had somehow been power washed out of him during the battle, leaving him with feelings of excitement and exhilaration. He wasn't afraid of the fight, he was loving it!

Lombre attacked fist. He shot Nalo with bubble beam, and the mudkip retaliated with a water gun. Nauki rushed in, spraying Lombre's face with sand a few times. Lombre whirled around and shot at the trapinch with bubble beam, but because of the sand in his eyes, he missed by a mile. Nauki rushed in with bite, quickly followed by feint attack, and Nalo added dive onto it.

Lombre roared, "You stupid magikarp!" He lashed at Nauki with his claws, but he only managed to hit once before missing, and the attack barely concerned the trapinch. Nauki rushed in with another bite, and Nalo finished him off with a last water gun. Lombre collapsed right onto the fainted Azumarill.

Goldeen shouted, "Boss, we've got some troublemakers!" and rushed over to them. The hostages immediately saw their opportunity and started to sneak out of the museum. Nauki exchanged a glance with Nalo, who passed him a look of understanding. A silent message had passed between them. _Buy enough time for them to get out._ He prayed to Groudon Nalo had actually gotten the idea.

Sharpedo and Masquerain arrived downstairs, the bag now bulging with treasures. "What the-?! You saps got beat by these losers?"

"Ha! If we're losers, what does that make you?" Nauki taunted.

Sharpedo roared. "Stupid brats. Masquerain, Goldeen, finish them."

Masquerain and Goldeen turned to the duo. "Ready to get beaten within an inch of your life?" Goldeen asked.

"Only if you are!" Nauki said. He moved faster than lightning, kicking up sand in both their faces. The move worked, but it also made them angrier. Masquerain shot him with gust, and Goldeen charged Nalo, hitting her with his horn.

Nalo shouted, "Nauki, watch out!" Unsure exactly what was about to happen, Nauki dodged out of the way. Nalo rose up on a pillar of water and slammed back down, sending an enormous wave in every direction. Goldeen and Masquerain both cried out at the force of the surf.

Before their adversaries could regain their bearings, Nauki rushed in. He trapped Goldeen in a sand tomb and used feint attack on Masquerain. The bug-type collapsed, and Nalo completed the job by using a last water gun on Goldeen.

Nauki and Nalo then turned to Sharpedo. "Four down, one to go," said the mudkip.

Sharpedo almost looked nervous. "Where'd you find the HM03? I've been looking for that everywhere!"

"What, so you can go steal it? As if I'm going to tell you."

Sharpedo snarled. "Whatever, I don't need it! I can take you two pipsqueaks in a fight any day."

She charged at Nauki and bit down on his side. Icy cold rushed through him, and Nauki cried in pain. He pried himself away, kicked sand in Sharpedo's face, and followed up with sand tomb. Nalo sprang out of a pool she had created and slammed into Sharpedo, then shot her with water gun.

Sharpedo roared with anger. She lunged forward and slashed Nalo on the chest, nearly ripping apart the leather rope that held the stone around her neck. Nalo's eyes narrowed with fury, and she rose up on her pillar of water, not even bothering to warn Nauki this time. Luckily, Nauki saw it coming and was able to dodge the surf that battered and rammed Sharpedo. Once it was done, Nauki returned and delivered several bites. With one last water gun and the sand tomb's help, Sharpedo was down.

"Phew! That was exciting," Nalo sighed. She turned to the rock and patted it. "Good thing it's safe."

"What should we do with them?" Nauki asked. His muscles were still tensed, ready to spring in case a sixth enemy showed up. The battle high was still coursing through him, and he was vibrating from the energy.

"Let's leave them for the police. They'll be out for a little while, and I'm sure one of those people called for help," said Nalo. She looked Nauki up and down and laughed. "Look at you! You're a mess. Come on, you need some oran berries." She gave him an affectionate pat on the head.

"If my sister Ikaika was here, she'd be so impressed. She was a really good fighter," Nauki said.

The two jumped at the sound of Goldeen's grunt. "Sister? Ikaika is your _sister_?!"

Nauki's eyes widened, and he approached the collapsed pokémon. "Ikaika? You know her?"

"Unfortunately. That girl is a devil, a monster of destruction and devastation," Goldeen grumbled. His eyes grew far away, glazed over with residual terror and hatred. He shuddered.

"No she isn't! Ikaika's not a devil," Nauki growled. "Tell me what you know."

Goldeen snapped back to reality, and he shot Nauki a glare. "Like I would ever talk to a pokémon with that demon's blood in his veins. You should be ashamed to even know that menace," said Goldeen.

Anger flared through Nauki, and his vision became tinged with red. Before he even knew what he was doing, he grabbed Goldeen in his enormous jaws and pushed him against the wall. "Tell me where my sister is!"

"Whoa! Nauki, stop!" Nalo cried, but he didn't hear her.

Goldeen muttered, "Just try and force me, Groutian."

Nauki bit down harder. "Tell me where she is or I'll bite you in half! TELL ME!"

Nalo grabbed Nauki and flung him back, and he snapped his jaws at her. "Stop it! He knows where Ikaika is!" he shouted, his eyes pricked with angry tears.

"Stop killing him!" Nalo responded.

A sudden voice outside yelled, "This is the Slateport police! We're coming in!" Nauki was making his way back to Goldeen, but Nalo grabbed him and pulled him out just as the police stormed the building.

* * *

It took some time for Nauki to calm down. He yelled and cried, demanding to go back and force Goldeen to speak, but Nalo held him down and refused to let him go until he finally collapsed from exhaustion. When he was finally lying down, she handed him an oran berry and said, "If I give you this, you have to promise to think logically."

Nauki silently accepted the berry and chewed it halfheartedly.

The sky was a brilliant orange, making the water seem golden as well as dark blue. The beach of Route 109 was sprawled out around them, mostly empty now that the evening had brought its chilling, autumn winds. The waves were not nearly as high as they had been that morning, lazily pulling at the shore as if they were ready for bed. Clouds were starting to gather in the sky as the storm prepared to switch from heat to rain. It would probably be upon them within the hour.

"What was that all about? I've never seen you so furious. You were about to kill that guy," Nalo inquired.

"He knew where my sister is," said Nauki. "Her name's Ikaika."

"That's what you're here for: to find her."

"Yeah," Nauki murmured. "Almost four years ago, she went missing. She wasn't stolen or anything. The police came and looked, and they told my parents she just… left. I haven't seen her since." He found his eyes beginning to tear up again, so he rubbed them ferociously until they dried. "She's my only friend. If I went missing, she'd come look for me, so I'm gonna do it for her. I just don't understand why she left me."

Nalo was silent for a few moments before saying, "She must've had a good reason. You guys seem close. She wouldn't have left you if it wasn't for something important."

"How would you know?" asked Nauki. His tone wasn't rude or angry, just sad.

"Well, because… I'm the same. In my family, I'm the big sister who left home," admitted Nalo.

This piqued Nauki's interest. "But why would you leave your own family?"

"Before I can explain that, you need to know a little backstory. I'm from Dewford Town, which is on an island. I have a mom, an older sister who lives in Mossdeep, and two little brothers. They're twins, actually. I love my family more than anything, and though I was usually messing things up, we were all happy. Happy, that is, until the storm hit.

"Since Dewford is such a tiny island, we got hit pretty bad. The rain caused flooding that destroyed homes, and the earthquakes made it too dangerous to mine in Granite Cave, which took away my town's only source of income. The heat waves make water-types like us unhappy. My mom lost all her money, my brothers were miserable… It was awful.

"About seven months ago, I was surfing around east of Dewford, and then I saw it. I saw a storm. That day, I realized just what the storm was. I looked at it, and it looked to me as if the earth and the sea themselves were fighting. There were giant rocks and pillars of dirt shooting around, giant waves and icy winds… It was switching between blistering sun and downpours so fast I worried a twister might start. And then, it just stopped. As quickly as it came, it was gone. That day, I knew this is no ordinary storm. There's something else causing it, and if there's a cause, that cause can be removed. I didn't waste a second. I went home, started packing, and by midnight I was gone. Haven't been back to Dewford since."

Nauki didn't like this story as much as he assumed he was supposed to. "What about your family and your brothers? Won't they miss you and worry about you?"

The expression on Nalo's face hurt Nauki just looking at it. She looked like a wilted flower. "They don't even remember me."

"Of course they do! They wouldn't have forgot you that fast," Nauki argued.

"For Kyogre's sake, Nauki, you can be so stupid sometimes. They don't remember me because I stole their memories," Nalo snarled.

"But… But how…?"

"There's a really powerful psychic-type in Dewford named 'Aihue Gardevoir. I didn't want my family to worry about me. With this storm already a problem, it would just be too much. So I asked 'Aihue if he could steal their memories. At first he refused, but when he heard me out, he agreed. I know he wasn't happy about it, but at least he did it. I'll return their memories as soon as I stop the storm and come home."

It was finally Nauki's turn to hit Nalo. "That's a terrible idea!" he yelled.

"What, sparing my family pain is an awful idea? What are you, an-"

"No, I'm not an idiot. If Ikaika did that to me, I would never forgive her. Sure, her being gone hurts every single day, and I miss her just as much as I did 1,409 days ago. But at least I can remember her! At least I still have the memories of her to live with, because if I didn't have those, I would have nothing. When you took your family's memories, you took all they had of you. And that's horrible."

They were silent for a long time. Nauki wasn't sure if it was ten minutes or ten hours, and he was beginning to wonder if Nalo would ever speak again. _I hope I didn't break her, or make her mad or something._

"You're smarter than you look."

"Huh?"

"I won't repeat myself." Nalo started to rummage through her bag and pulled out a strange, gray disc. "Here, a gift."

Nauki turned it over and gave it a sniff. "What is it?"

"It's a TM28. I swiped it from the museum."

Nauki gasped. "Nalo, that's stealing! And you're not supposed to use TMs."

"Hey, do you want it or not?"

Nauki tried to be angry, but his acting skills were poor, and a smile broke through the mask. "Thanks. What will it teach me?"

"The move dig. Ever heard of it? It's like my dive but with ground, and you can also use it to get out of caves and stuff. If we're gonna be traveling partners, you need a move more useful than biting everyone who makes you mad."

Nauki booted up the TM. It beeped for a few seconds, interacting with his mind, and when it shut off, Nauki knew how to use dig. "I can't wait to try it!"

"Well, we can always find Sharpedo if you wanna give it a go," Nalo joked. She got to her feet. "Come on, Cousin."

"Wait, we're actually going to Sharpedo?" asked Nauki as he got up.

"No, dummy!" They were the same words, but gone was the harsh tone. Instead, her speech was only teasing. "We're going to the Slateport Inn. I'm tired."

"Me too," Nauki yawned. "I call the bigger bed!"

"Yeah right," said Nalo with a smile. "You have to earn the bigger bed."

* * *

Two days later, Nalo finally finished her research in Slateport. Nauki was impressed by just how much she could deduce from the exhibits in the museum and the word of the Slateport citizens.

"There have been a lot of bad storms here, but a lot of people are saying the worst of it happens in Lilycove," Nalo had told him after she'd gone info-hunting the other day. "I did manage to learn something peculiar, though. A storm hit here a few weeks back, but after it cleared, the citizens found a giant wall of earth blocking off the sea at the beach."

"A wall of dirt?" Nauki echoed.

"Not just dirt. Sand, stone, even some lava rock. They took it down, but it was really mysterious. Even scientists from the Institute came down to investigate, but they couldn't figure out a thing about it. Also, take a look at this." Nalo handed him a piece of paper. Drawn on it in graphite was a strange, circular pattern.

"This is like on the rock at the museum," Nauki noted.

"Yeah. An artist drew that. It was carved into the rock wall," said Nalo. "Believe me now about this storm being supernatural?"

"How can I not?" Nauki replied. Over their time at Slateport, he had come to trust Nalo more, especially her powers of thinking. If she believed the storm was supernatural, it was impossible for him to not believe it.

That morning, Nauki woke up to Nalo packing her bags. "Morning, Cousin! Pack up."

"Are we going somewhere?" Nauki yawned, rubbing his eye.

"Yup. We're heading to the Science Institute and then on to Lilycove," said Nalo. "It's gonna be a long trip, so we need to go to the market and stock up. Are you ready to sell that rock yet?"

"No, I'm not," stated Nauki. Nalo had continued to urge him to sell the strange, warm stone from Fiery Pass, but he'd held it close to his chest. The instinct to keep it and guard it had yet to dwindle.

Nalo sighed. "Fine, whatever. I'll sell those pearls we found at the beach. Get up already!" She chucked a nearby pillow at his head, sending swellow feathers raining through the air.

When they finished packing, the duo paid for their room and left Slateport Inn. "Let's get to the marketplace. The prices go up after noon. Hurry up!" urged Nalo.

"Alright, alright! There's no need to rush so much," Nauki grumbled. "Do you think they'll sell bluk berries?"

"Even if they are, we aren't buying any. Those are a waste of money."

"You're so mean!"

"I'm mean, but I'm in charge."

When they arrived at the market, Nauki's first instinct was to check every stall at once. There were all sorts of strange things being sold under the endless pink umbrellas: incense, pokéblocks, berries from faraway regions, rare stones, x-items, illegal TMs, queer musical instruments, furniture, poképuffs and other rare delicacies, strength-enhancing items, evolution triggers, and more. As they passed a stone stall, a merchant tried to convince Nalo to buy something called a swampertite, which would apparently enhance some hidden power in her final form, but Nalo called him a scammer and moved on. There was an entire basket of bluk berries, and with some convincing, Nalo gave Nauki enough money to be able to buy one, which he ate it right away. There were so many things to look at in Slateport Marketplace that the trapinch never wanted to leave.

"Nauki?!"

His heart seemed to forget to beat. The voice was so familiar it could not possibly be who he thought it was. He turned around to see a tall, elegant flygon standing a few feet away. It was impossible to pretend he didn't recognize her.

"Mom?"

"Nauki!" Hine raced forward and collected her son into her arms. "Oh, thank Groudon! Your father and I are so worried about you." Then the anger started. "What were you thinking?! Didn't you realize we would worry about you? You think you can leave one cryptic letter in the middle of the night and expect us not to be afraid?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't think," Nauki said.

"That's right, you didn't. Come on, we're going home."

Before Nauki could protest, a voice called out, "Cousin, who's that?" He turned to see Nalo approaching. "Oh. A parent, I assume?"

"And who might you be?" Hine demanded.

"I'm Nalo Mudkip, your son's traveling companion. I'm on a secret mission," Nalo said. She turned to Nauki. "Is this gonna be an issue?"

"No," Nauki told her. "Mom, I'm sorry, I really am, but I can't go home."

"But why?" Hine asked. "What's so important that you have to leave Lavaridge? What could be more important than your family?"

"Well, that's why I left. Because nothing is more important," said Nauki. "Mom, I… I'm looking for Ikaika."

"Oh," said Hine. A pause. "Oooh."

Nauki knew he was striking a nerve, and this might result in his mother bursting into tears, but he trudged forward. "You never did anything about it. She left, and you never went after her. It's like you and Dad don't even care." The look he gave her was filled with utter hatred, and his sides heaved with anger he had long kept bottled up, but his expression started to become sad. "I have to go find her. She's my only friend in the whole world, and she could be in trouble. Even if she isn't, I still have to know what happened to her. So please, let me go."

Hine was silent for a long while. "Nauki, why do you think I travel for work so often?"

"Why?" Nauki had always wondered. She didn't necessarily have to travel, but she always elected to take jobs all over the region. He'd just assumed she just didn't like being stuck in Lavaridge, tucked away from the rest of the world.

"Because there's a slight chance that if I do travel, I might run into Ikaika," said Hine. "You don't think I miss her too? She's my daughter! She's my daughter, and I wasn't fair to her. No one was. There isn't a day that goes by in which I don't feel guilty, because it's my fault she left." Nauki was feeling the sort of terror that came with watching your mother cry, because Hine's eyes were welling with tears. "I just, I worry for you, Nauki. You've never left the town, and you're still so young. What if something happens to you, and I'm not there to protect you? I can't lose both my babies."

The sentence alone was almost enough to make Nauki go home with her.

Almost.

Nalo spoke up. "Ma'am, if I may." When Hine nodded permission, she continued. "Nauki's a lot stronger than you think, and so am I. Just a few days ago, we got caught up in a robbery at the Oceanic Museum, and together, we took down all five criminals. They were much stronger than us, but we defeated them as a team. Don't underestimate Nauki."

Hine looked impressed. "Five robbers? What type were they?"

"They were Kyogran. Their leader was a sharpedo," Nauki said.

His mother smiled. "Water-types with a sharpedo leader. We've got some good genes in the family!" Hine reached forward and hugged Nauki one last time. "Bring her home," she murmured.

"I promise I will," Nauki said. It was a promise he wouldn't forget.

Hine set him down and turned Nalo. "Take care of my son."

"He can take care of himself, but he'll probably need my excellent guidance as well," Nalo responded.

Hine nodded. "I'm going back to Lavaridge. Stop by sometime, if you're in the area. I'll have bluk berry salad ready."

Nauki grinned from ear to ear. "With ashfruit sauce?"

"Of course," said Hine. She turned to leave but halted almost instantly. "Oh, I almost forgot! Are you two heading to Lilycove City?"

"How did you know?" Nalo asked.

"I assume if you're trying to find Ikaika, the capital city would be the place to go," explained Hine. "Anyway, the overland trip can take almost a week. Why don't I buy you two tickets for the ferry?"

Nalo gasped so loud Nauki wondered if it hurt her throat. "That'd shorten our trip by days! You'd do that?"

"Anything for my son and his friend."

"Thank you, Mrs. Flygon," said Nalo. She started walking. "No time to lose! Let's get to that harbor and buy ourselves some tickets. Lilycove, here we come!"


	4. An Ungoverned Battle

**Chapter Three: An Ungoverned Battle**

* * *

Being on a boat was both the most amazing and the most terrifying thing Nauki had ever done. It was certainly the most bizarre as well. Here he was, with the sparkling sea sprawling all around him, islands dotting the panorama and wingulls flying through the air. At the same time, he was completely surrounded by water on a floating piece of asymmetrical wood that sprung leaks nearly every day. He never wanted his ride on the S.S. Kyogre to be over, and yet, at the same time, he wanted it to be over as quickly as possible.

It surprised him that Nalo was not as pleased with being on a boat as he was (when he wasn't feeling regretful instead). She spent most of her hours below deck, planning.

One day, after a good five hours of staring at a map of Hoenn, Nalo approached Nauki. "We won't be able to stop by the Science Institute on our way to Lilycove since we aren't going by Route 119, so a good thing to do might be to split up for a few days."

The trapinch's jaw dropped open. "Split up? What do you mean?" Nauki wasn't keen on being on his own. He wasn't even sure if Lilycove was a Kyogran or a Groutian city, but he didn't want to be alone either way.

"The Science Institute is a few days away, but it's a necessary stop for me. I could take the overland routes there while you stay in Lilycove to look for your sister," Nalo explained. "It's the most time efficient plan."

Nauki shook his head. "I don't know. What if I find out something important about the storm in Lilycove, and you aren't there?"

"You can always send me a letter," said Nalo.

"I wanna to go to the Science Institute with you, though. I hear a lot of castforms work there. I wanna see them transform!"

Nalo was silent. _The plan was to separate in Lilycove, but how am I supposed to split up with this stupid pokémon now? My mission is important, but..._ "I'll consider it."

"Really? Oh, thank you!" Nauki wrapped her in a big hug.

"No touching," Nalo said, gently pushing him off. "I'm not a hugger."

"Oh, come on," Nauki said lightly. "Who can resist a good hug?"

"I'm doing quite a good job resisting myself, actually."

By the time the S.S. Kyogre pulled into the docks of Lilycove, Nalo still had not made a concrete decision on whether or not to split up with her new partner, and her indecisiveness was only causing her unneeded stress. She wondered if Nauki noticed, for she often caught him gazing at her with worry in his eyes, and she despised that stupid look more than anything. She had to resist the temptation to chuck something at him, and from time to time she ended up doing so with a pillow, though it only seemed to make him laugh now.

When Nauki and Nalo headed up onto the deck, Nauki gasped. "Lilycove is _huge_! Look at those buildings! Oh, and look at that cove! Look at that tree! It's all so big!"

"And it's not even the biggest city in Hoenn," Nalo said. "We really have to take some time in Mauville when we're in the area. Mossdeep is pretty big too."

"I like Lilycove, though. Look how it connects to the ocean. I can't even tell if this place is Groutian or Kyogran," said Nauki.

"Actually, it's neither. The citizens of Lilycove are neutral in all this Groudon versus Kyogre business, and fighting over religion here is even against the law," said Nalo.

"Really?" Nauki gasped. "Why?"

"They're just pacifists, I guess."

The S.S. Kyogre pulled into port, and the crew pulled down a ramp to allow the passengers off. Nalo and Nauki made their way down onto the docks and up to the city.

Lilycove was not quite as big as Slateport, but what it lacked in length and width, it made up for in height. The buildings here were so high Nauki wondered how they didn't fall over. They were constructed of glass for the most part, which Nauki suspected would make spying easy, though the fog accompanying the current downpour prevented any peeping. The houses all had over one story, and the streets were made of gray stone with a green tint from moss growing in the cracks. The city was organized on a gentle slope rising up from the cove, with its tallest buildings at the top of the hill.

"So, if Lilycove isn't Groutian or Kyogran, who do they worship?" Nauki asked Nalo.

"Both, sort of. Actually, not really. They don't worship Groudon or Kyogre, though they do respect them and celebrate their holidays. Lilycove pokémon have their own religion, one that's age old but dying out nowadays," Nalo explained.

"What's the religion?" Nauki asked. He was surprised, for he'd never heard of any religion that wasn't Groutian or Kyogran. He had no idea what it might be like.

"They call it Spherism," told Nalo. "It's the worship of the Kaulike Legendary, AKA the Nameless God. Perhaps you've heard of him."

"He's in the Legend of Groudon. He's the legendary who stopped the fighting and made them go to sleep," said Nauki.

"Right. Spherans worship the Kaulike Legendary and respect Groudon and Kyogre. It's the combination of Groutian and Kyogran that includes all the lore. You only really find Spherans here, but I've seen them in other cities trying to spread peace. They really want to bring Hoenn together as one region, not have it divided into Groutian and Kyogran parts."

"You know, you seem like you could be Spheran," Nauki noted.

"You have to worship the Kaulike Legendary. I don't worship."

"But you believe in them! That's gotta be enough."

Nalo considered this. "It might be. Spherans are so obsessive over peace and missionary stuff they'll even swallow their own words just to settle a conflict."

They headed over to a two-story building whose sign read _Cove Lily Inn: Highest Ranking Inn in Hoenn!_ "We'll stay here during our time here," decided Nalo.

"Sounds good to me," Nauki agreed.

The duo purchased a room from the friendly carvanha innkeeper and went upstairs to unpack. When they entered the room, Nauki was impressed by how luxurious it was. There were two beds with fluffy white comforters and swellow down pillows. They had oran berries in a glass bowl, though Nalo made sure they were free before she would allow Nauki to enjoy them. There was even a window with a view of the cove.

"This inn is awesome," said Nauki. "So what should we do first? Rest here until morning and then start? We could try up the hill. I saw a big crowd an-"

Nalo cut him off. "Look, Cousin. Tomorrow, I'm gonna set off for the Science Institute."

At the moment, it seemed like the worst news he had ever received in his lifetime. Nauki frowned, his good mood heading down the drain. "No, come on! You said you wouldn't make us split up."

"I said I'd consider it, but it's just the best option," said Nalo. "I promise I'll travel fast, and if you want, I'll show you some good places to investigate before I go."

Nauki was still uncertain. "But-"

Nalo interrupted him. "Cousin, you have to trust yourself. The Lilycove citizens won't let any religious disputes happen, so you don't have to worry about any aggressive Kyograns, and you're strong enough to handle yourself. You can't be afraid of the outside world forever."

"I'm _not_. I just don't wanna be alone here," Nauki muttered.

"Why?"

"I just don't."

"That's not a reason."

"Gaaah!" Nauki stormed over to the window, his back turned to Nalo. "Just go if you want, then."

"I intend to," said Nalo, "but not until morning. Come with me." She walked out of the room.

"Huh? Nalo, wait!" Nauki raced after her.

The mudkip didn't give Nauki a chance to catch up until she was out of the inn. He was running so fast he nearly bumped into her tailfin. "Hey, where're you going?"

"I said I'd show you where to investigate, didn't I?" Nalo grinned. "Come on. Let's gets started."

* * *

Nalo set off the next morning. She promised Nauki she would be quick, but when he looked at her map, he doubted it. She would have to travel the entire length of two long routes and pass through Fortree City before she would even be close to the Science Institute, and getting back was another challenge in itself.

However, at least it would give him more time to search for Ikaika. He was not fond of being alone in the capital city, but his knowledge of the peaceful Spherans was somewhat comforting. Equipped with that and his new knowledge of fruitful places to search, he was feeling a little confident.

He spent the morning asking around in the streets. He had his drawing of Ikaika to show pokémon, but by the time the sun reached its zenith, Nauki had made no progress. No one seemed interested in helping a little boy find his sister.

He was walking along the edge of the cove when he spotted a sign on a building he had believed to be residential: _Flareon's Kanto Cuisine._ Nauki had no idea what a Kanto or a flareon was, so he decided to go in to investigate.

Upon entering the restaurant, Nauki was immediately intrigued. There was not a chair to be seen, but instead, the tables were all low to the ground, and customers sat on cushions. A complete variety of pokémon made up the customers, with water-types and ground-types dining together and dragon-types carrying plates across the room. A strange pokémon stood waiting for new customers to enter. She was canine-like with long ears and big paws, fiery orange fur, and a huge puff of yellow fur on her tail and around her neck.

"Welcome, welcome, dearie!" the woman greeted the second she spotted Nauki. "Welcome to Flareon's Kanto Cuisine." She gave a quick bow.

"What's a Kanto?" Nauki asked.

"Oh, don't know? It's a region, dearie," she explained. "Oh, don't look so sheepish. It is uncommon for Hoenn folk to know much about outside regions. I assume you don't know what a flareon is either."

Nauki shook his head.

"Well, now you've met one! I'm Ijuu Flareon of Kanto."

"I've never heard a name like that," Nauki admitted.

"Different regions have different names," Ijuu explained. "Now, enough dawdling. Let's get you seated. Follow me!"

Ijuu led Nauki through the bustling restaurant. There were all sorts of food he'd never seen before. He spotted one dish that appeared to be made of seaweed and some strange, white pellet-like food. "What sort of food does Kanto have?" he asked.

"Ever tried moomoo milk, dearie?" Ijuu asked.

Nauki shook his head. "Then you're in for a treat," she said. "Ah, here's an empty seat. Yoohoo, boys! I've got someone to sit with ya."

When Nauki saw who he would be dining with, his heart nearly stopped. Seated at the table were the largest, most intimidating pokémon he'd ever seen. One had a wingspan that stretched as wide as the table. Another had four enormous legs and was made entirely of steel. The third was a tall, bipedal woman with red and yellow feathers, and the last was a long, blue pokémon with a mouth that could swallow Nauki whole.

"Um, Ijuu, are there any other seats?" he squeaked.

The winged pokémon feigned hurt. "What, you don't want to eat with us? Sit on down!"

"Okay," Nauki murmured. He plopped down on a cushion as quickly as physically possible. Looking around the table, he was surprised to see the pokémon looking more amused rather than hostile.

The steel-type asked, "So what's your name, tyke?"

"Oh, I'm Nauki Trapinch."

"Hm, a trapinch. Probably from Lavaridge, this one," said the feathered one. "Well, if you're gonna dine with us, you ought to know our names as well. I'm Kakahiaka Blaziken. This is Awakea Metagross, Ahiahi Salamence, and Naheka Gyarados."

"At your service!" Naheka said boisterously.

"So what brings a young Groutian trapinch to our wonderful city? Must be important to bring you so far from the volcano," Ahiahi asked.

"I'm looking for my sister. She… She went missing," Nauki explained. Pa'ani stirred in his heart.

All four of them looked crestfallen. "That's awful," Awakea murmured.

"I do hope you find her," added Kakahiaka.

"Thanks," said Nauki, his voice more confident. The pokémon no longer seemed so intimidating.

A feebas waitress approached. "Welcome to Flareon's Kanto Cuisine. May I take your order?"

"Oh, I don't have a menu," said Nauki.

Ahiahi broke in. "Bring the tyke a magikarp's seaweed dish."

The feebas's eyes widened. "Are you sure he can afford that, Ahiahi?"

"It's on me." He grinned.

The feebas shrugged. "Well, okay! Ijuu'll be pleased. I'll bring it out soon as it's done." She drifted off.

"Thanks! You didn't have to do that," Nauki said. He didn't think he'd ever met pokémon so polite. Not even Ikaika would buy a stranger an expensive meal.

"You can pay me back with a good story. Got anything we haven't heard yet?"

"Ooh, good trade, Ahiahi!" Awakea piped up.

"Let me think…" said Nauki. "Have you heard the Legend of Jirachi?"

"I've heard bits and pieces, but never the whole thing," admitted Kakahiaka.

Nauki was relieved. Surely these Spherans wouldn't be interested in the Legend of Groudon, so this was all he had. "Well, I don't know for sure if I can remember the whole thing, but I'll try my best."

Nauki did manage to remember the whole thing, and when he finished, his tablemates were impressed. "You're not a bad storyteller," said Naheka. "Something that good deserves a story in return. Heard the Legend of the Dragons of Heart?"

Nauki shook his head.

"I'll tell it, then. It's my favorite." And so he began.

"When the world had become a place of both land and water, and the beasts Groudon and Kyogre had gone to slumber in the depths of their domains, the Kaulike Legendary began his self-appointed job of maintaining peace in the region of Hoenn. He flew through the skies, hardly ever stopping because he had no feet to stop on. He was a dutiful pokémon, and when he wasn't patrolling to make sure the beasts remained asleep, he would speak with the pokémon of Hoenn, yet he never gave his name.

"However, as the years went on and on, the Kaulike Legendary grew less alert. Groudon and Kyogre hadn't so much as stirred, and patrolling the skies without rest was becoming more tedious than necessary. He decided if Groudon and Kyogre remained restful for five more decades, he would devise a less labor-intensive method of keeping tabs on them.

"The next fifty years passed by uneventfully, and so the Kaulike Legendary decided it was time to finally rest, but he realized he had nowhere to do so. Groudon had the magma and the bedrock, and Kyogre had the bottom of the seas, but there was nowhere for the Nameless God to call home.

"So he went to the ground and told the pokémon of the seas and the earth, 'Hoenn citizens, I am in need of your assistance. I have patrolled these skies for you all for many a year now, and I am afraid it is time I ask you of something in return. I am in need of a tower to call my own, and I require your assistance in the construction.'

"The pokémon of Hoenn were eager to assist the One Who Brought Peace, and they all gathered together to build the Kaulike's home. When it was done and the workers could retire, Sky Pillar had been created. It was a white tower nestled on a cloud in the sky, rising high so he could watch over all of Hoenn from its peak. It was a tower of true magnificence, placed high so that none could sneak up on the Nameless God.

"However, after settling into Sky Pillar and finally resting, the Kaulike Legendary became paranoid. When he wasn't watching Hoenn from the top of his tower, he was fretting over what might be going on in his absence. He realized that though he had finally landed, he was still not resting.

"So the Kaulike decided, 'I need assistance if I am to watch over Hoenn. I need two pokémon who can speed through the skies and bring word of danger, who can serve loyally and passionately and keep the region safe.'

"So the Kaulike got to work. He went to the top of Sky Pillar, reached out his talons, and plucked the fastest wind right out of the sky. It was a wind that had sped across the skies for ages, taking part in every hurricane, tornado, and windstorm. With the fastest wind in his talons, the Kaulike split it into two and began to fashion it into twin bodies.

"Then the Kaulike said, 'If my servants are to possess as much stamina as I, they will need hearts larger than any pokémon. I shall create for them the largest and finest hearts that have ever beat.' He then took out two bricks from the peak of Sky Pillar, for it had been built from the kindness of the pokémon below, and fashioned them into two twin hearts. When he combined them with the bodies of the fastest wind, they changed.

"Latias and Latios were born that day, with bodies made of wind and hearts made of love. They were twin dragon- and psychic-types with the ability to fly as fast as lightning can strike. With their enormous hearts, they could remain airborne for weeks at a time. They differed from the beasts of earth and sea, for their power was not in their strength, but their speed.

"With Latios and Latias as his servants, the Kaulike Legendary was finally able to rest. The twin dragons brought reports from the skies, and they were sworn to return the instant Groudon or Kyogre stirred. His paranoia gone, the Kaulike Legendary rested in his tower, and the twins were only happy to assist their father.

"At first, the arrangement worked well. Latios and Latias kept tabs not only on Groudon and Kyogre, but also on all the current events of Hoenn. The Nameless God loved to hear about what the common folk were doing and how the region was changing. Latios and Latias both especially loved to observe and make reports on the ordinary pokémon.

"There was a day when Latios and Latias desired to partake in a festival celebrating the Kaulike's triumph over Groudon and Kyogre. They wished to join in the festivities, not only to report back to their father, but also to interact with ordinary pokémon and enjoy themselves, two things they had never truly done before. They worked tirelessly and were happy to do so, but even those with the largest hearts require a break.

"It was then that Latios and Latias discovered another ability hidden inside them. By refracting the light on their soft, downy feathers, they were able to change their appearances. They could appear as any pokémon they desired, allowing them to join just as ordinary people. However, there was a catch. Though their bodies appeared to have changed, their coloration remained the same. No matter what pokémon they appeared as, Latios remained blue, and Latias remained red. Despite this, they changed themselves into ordinary dragon-types and went to the festival.

"When the party was over, the twins had had a grand time, but their guilt began to wash away any fun they'd had. 'Sister,' Latios said as they left the festival, 'we must not tell Father about this.'

"'Why not?' Latias asked. 'I think he would love to hear of the fun we had.'

"'That would be true if we had not stayed as long as we did, but we remained there for hours. Should Groudon and Kyogre have woken while we were distracted, the results would have been catastrophic. Father must never hear of this,' Latios said. Latias understood, and so they agreed to keep their activities- and their new abilities- a secret.

"This went on for many years. Latios and Latias found themselves spending more and more time amongst the common pokémon. The Kaulike remained ignorant to their behavior and could not know the mistake he had made. By giving his servants hearts twice as large, he had increased their emotions twofold- their empathy, their kindness, their love, their desperate longing to be ordinary. Latios and Latias were growing tired of their jobs as the Kaulike Legendary's eyes, yet they could not bring themselves to tell him so.

"There was a day, however, when the twins' behavior turned against them. Due to the workings of the evil pokémon Deoxys, Groudon and Kyogre returned to the surface. Had Latias and Latios been patrolling the skies, they would have noticed Deoxys's behavior and alerted the Kaulike before he could complete his work. It just so happened that on that day, the twins were at a marketplace interacting with ordinary pokémon and browsing wares. They were completely unaware when Deoxys stirred Groudon and Kyogre from their sleep, and the two beasts rose to the surface.

"It did not take long for Groudon and Kyogre to find each other and begin their war anew. It was in their nature, after all. The Kaulike heard the noise outside and rose to the top of Sky Pillar to see what the commotion was, and when he noticed that Groudon and Kyogre had returned, he was shocked and angered. He had no time to go after his servants, for Groudon and Kyogre had already began to ravage Hoenn, and so he descended and returned them to sleep once again.

"As soon as the beasts were calmed and asleep, the Kaulike roared across all of Hoenn, 'LATIAS AND LATIOS, I DEMAND YOU COME BEFORE ME AT ONCE. I SHALL AWAIT ON MY PILLAR TO SEE YOUR TREACHEROUS FACES.'

"Latias and Latios were terrified, for they had heard the Kaulike and knew of his rage. 'Do you think Father will destroy us?' Latios fretted. 'Or perhaps he will deliver unto us unending pain,' Latias added. The twins were not a happy pair when they arrived on Sky Pillar.

"The Kaulike awaited them. 'My servants, you have failed me and betrayed me. I created you for the sole purpose of watching over Hoenn, and you did so gladly for many years. But when the region needed you both, you failed utterly. The destruction caused by Groudon and Kyogre is immense. Explain to me the reason for your failure.'

"'Father, we apologize most sincerely and beg your forgiveness. My brother and I have become distracted by the common pokémon. We have spent most of our time amongst them. We swear on our lives we will not grow distracted again!' Latias groveled.

"The Kaulike narrowed his eyes at them. He finally saw his mistake. Latias and Latios's hearts were too large. 'I see now that though you are almost perfect, you are unreliable. Listen now to your punishment. I no longer require your services. Latios and Latias shall serve no purpose, and you may watch yourselves rot from the greed and sin and selfishness that exist amongst the common folk you so desperately wish to be a part of. Should I ever see either of you again, I promise it will mean your deaths. Be gone!'

"Latias and Latios were devastated, for they wished only for their father's forgiveness, but they knew better than to test his patience. The dragon twins with hearts too big took wing and left Sky Pillar, never to return."

As Naheka finished his story, Nauki found himself unsatisfied. "But what happens next?"

"Nothing. That's the end of the story," said Naheka.

"But the Kaulike and Latias and Latios never make up? They just leave, and that's it?"

"Look kid," said Kakahiaka, "not every story has a happy ending. Sometimes, what you get is what you've got. It sucks, but it's life."

"Stories can have happy endings if you work for them," Nauki suggested.

Before his tablemates could argue, the feebas returned with a dish that made Nauki's mouth water. It was mostly seaweed, more of a water-type food, yet he'd never seen anything so delectable. _If Kanto pokémon eat like this all the time, they must be lucky._ _And rich!_ "One magikarp seaweed dish!" the feebas announced. She set the plate in front of him, gave a quick bow, and went off.

"Enjoy yer meal," Ahiahi said with a nod.

"Thanks, everyone!" said Nauki. Without further ado, he dove into his lunch.

When it was nearly time to leave the restaurant, Awakea said, "So you said you were here looking for your sister?"

Nauki nodded. "Yeah. I've been looking for her up and down the coast, but so far, I haven't found much. Maybe you've heard of her? Her name's Ikaika Vibrava."

The pokémon exchanged glances. "Ikaika?" Ahiahi tested the word.

"Yeah. She looks like this." Nauki dug into his bag and showed them the picture.

"Well, I don't know much about a vibrava, but I did hear a rumor while we was in Fallarbor," said Naheka.

Nauki leaned forward, eyes widened. "Really? What was it?"

"Somethin' about a girl called Ikaika running amok near Meteor Falls. Not exactly sure what went down, but she headed in, and by the time she left, there was plenty of new craters," explained Naheka. "If you're lookin' fer Ikaika, you best check there."

A bright smile appeared on Nauki's face. _Fallarbor! Ikaika's in Fallarbor!_ Suddenly, the thought of remaining in Lilycove to wait for Nalo seemed unbearable. "I will. I definitely will. You're all so nice. Thanks for letting me sit with you," said Nauki. His heart beat with newfound enthusiasm for his search.

"It was our pleasure. You'll have to come find us and let us know if you find her. And I'll hope to hear any stories you might've picked up along the way," said Ahiahi.

"Of course! See you around." Nauki turned and left the restaurant, feeling more elated than he had all day.

* * *

Ten days later, the storm hit.

Nauki was heading to Ijuu's restaurant to have lunch, hoping to run into his previous tablemates again, when the winds picked up. It was only a few seconds before blistering heat started to burn the grass to crisps, and a torrential downpour picked up in the cove. A hariyama pushed past him, yelling, "Get inside if you know what's good for you!"

Nauki knew immediately this was the sort of storm Nalo had been hoping to see. The border between the two extremes crumbled, and the sky started rapidly changing between scorching sunlight and black rainclouds. Despite the few seconds of clear skies, it was nearly impossible to see anything, for the sunlight was blinding. Paired up with the night-like blackness of the rain, Nauki quickly developed a headache from the utter chaos.

He decided to head back to Cove Lily Inn and wait out the storm, and he was just heading in that direction when he felt a tap on the shoulder. He turned and was shocked to see Nalo standing before him. "Come on! This is our one chance to see a storm in action!"

"Are you nuts? We'll get killed!"

"What? Can't hear you!"

"WE'LL GET KILLED!"

Nalo laughed as if he were telling a funny joke. "Don't be silly. We won't die. Come along, Cousin." She made way for the cove, and Nauki felt he had no choice but to follow. _I can't just leave her alone, can I?_

As they moved closer to the epicenter of the storm, Nauki quickly realized just how dangerous the situation was. The winds were moving at speeds Latias and Latios had yet to achieve, carrying projectile tree branches and stones. One hit from them could easily impale a pokémon. The temperature kept bouncing up and down between sweat-inducing heat and icy chills, quickly disorienting Nauki. The downpours would soak him to the bone, and the sunlight that followed would evaporate every ounce of water off his skin fast enough for the next rain to replace it completely. The earth was rolling like ripples on a pond, and he could hardly keep himself from tripping. Nauki had no idea how Nalo seemed to be faring so well. He wondered if her confidence was acting as a placebo.

When they were nearly at the cove, Nalo stopped Nauki with her tail. She pointed forward and said, "Look!"

Nauki wasn't sure what she was pointing at, but when he looked closer, he could just make it out. Right at the heart of the storm, two creatures were fighting. Whether or not they were even pokémon, he could not tell, but the power they wielded was godlike.

The first one rose itself up on a pillar of earth and shot great chunks of rock at the other. The second retaliated, dodging side to side on its column of water, then summoning an ocean wave nearly ten times the height of any Nauki had ever seen and flinging it at the first. The first lifted a great wall of molten earth to block it, then flung the wall forward at the second, nearly landing a hit but not quite. The second launched two geysers of water to harden the lava and shot the spouts at the first, but its efforts proved futile as the first dodged aside and flung more boulders.

"How are they doing that? They aren't even using moves!" Nauki wondered.

"What?"

"HOW ARE THEY DOING THAT WITHOUT MOVES?!"

"I haven't the slightest."

Fear settled into Nauki's chest. If Nalo didn't know, then who possibly would? He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and turned his attention back to the fight.

It was clear the second was losing. The first kept pushing forward, the force of its earth attacks growing faster and stronger. The second was trapped on defense, unable to break its rush. With a last sad attempt, he summoned another wave to try and douse the first, but it was mediocre compared to the previous. The first dodged easily, and with one last hit, the second vanished into the sea.

Immediately, the storm dissipated. The rainclouds began to fade, leaving only blistering sunlight. As Nauki was finally able to see properly again, he realized just how destructive the fight had been. Rocks the size of houses littered the cove, chunks were gone from the land, and the streets of Lilycove were flooded from the tidal waves. He prayed to Groudon that Ijuu's restaurant hadn't suffered too much damage.

"Nauki."

"Present!" Nauki yelped. When he collected himself, he said, "Um, yes?" Nalo pointed upwards, and his gaze followed her paw.

In that moment, everything stopped.

Perched atop the pillar of earth was a flygon. She looked gorgeous in the harsh sunlight, her scales glittering with a ferocity that made her seem like a goddess. She stood tall as if the battle had not even been tiring, her head held high in triumph. She looked different- completely different. Her body had changed, and she was not the same pokémon she had been, but Nauki recognized her. He would never fail to recognize her. She was different now, but that did not stop Nauki from pushing Nalo out of the way and shouting louder than he ever had before.

"Ikaika! Ikaika! Ika, it's me! It's me, Nauki!"

She turned, and when she saw him, Nauki knew she recognized him too. Her eyes welled with tears. "Nauki?"

"Yeah, it's me! Ika!"

"Nauki!" She swooped down to the ground faster than the speed of sound, and before he knew it, he was gathered up in her arms. She felt warmer to the touch than she once had, and she only had two arms instead of four, but he had the same warm glow in his chest when he felt her scales so close.

He did not realize he was crying until he felt her gently wipe a tear from his cheek. He looked up, eyes flooding with thick, fat tears, and gazed upon her beautiful face with the sun shining behind her. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and the pure happiness welling inside him felt so foreign he almost didn't recognize it. This was an emotion that only came with her. Now she was back, and so was his joy. After 1,425 days, he had found his sister Ikaika at last.


	5. Saital Sandshrew

**Chapter Four: Saital Sandshrew**

* * *

Nauki had to wonder if he was dreaming. This could not be happening, especially not so soon. He had left Lavaridge Town in search of Ikaika, and he'd been prepared to travel across all of Hoenn in search of her, not stopping for years and years until he gathered enough clues to finally pinpoint her location. Not for a second had he expected it to be this easy. Yet, the world was a strange place, and now he and Nalo were riding on his sister's back, heading inland from Lilycove City.

After the teary reunion had come to a close, he only felt awkward. What was he supposed to say? What should he ask? He'd been looking forward to this moment for 1,425 days, but Nauki had spent not a single second actually preparing for it. He was quiet, fumbling to think of anything to say that might start a conversation, but he kept getting distracted.

Ikaika was different. Her scales radiated heat like the sun that blazed overhead, and even Nauki- a desert pokémon- was growing uncomfortable. Had she always been this warm? She might have, but it felt so alien. At the same time, she was the same vibrava who had told him stories and given him a marill doll. She flew in a slow, lazy manner, humming quietly. She was casual, as if she hadn't just been fighting a mysterious entity of the sea and wielding the earth ungoverned by moves. It comforted Nauki, and it frustrated him.

Nalo was the first to speak up. "Might I ask where exactly we're going?"

Ikaika turned. "Oh, did I not say? Sorry! We're going to Mt. Chimney."

Finally, Nauki had a base to start something from. "Mt. Chimney? Why?" _Don't tell me that's where you've been all this time._

"It's where I live."

 _You have to be kidding me._

Mt. Chimney? All this time, she'd been right above him? Nauki realized that by leaving Lavaridge and going with Nalo to the coast, he had gone in the complete wrong direction. He felt like throwing something and suddenly felt empathetic for Nalo and her strange habits.

"I wasn't aware of any pokémon living on Mt. Chimney," said Nalo.

"Well, that's a comforting thought. We're supposed to be a secret," Ikaika sighed.

"We?" Nauki asked. "Who's we?"

"Why don't I explain when we get there? It'll be easier."

Nauki had no desire to remain patient for the long-awaited explanation, but he kept his big mouth shut. He didn't want to spoil the moment. _Or at least what hasn't been spoiled already._

Their trip took a little less than two hours and was mostly spent in silence. When Nauki saw Mt. Chimney approaching in the distance, he started to quiver with excitement. They were almost there, and then he would finally get his answers. Ikaika flew over the cone, filled boiling red magma inside, and landed on the edge next to the cable car stop.

"Ah, here we are," said Ikaika. She stretched out her arms and stood with a hunched posture. "It is always so tiring, going to the coast."

"So, where exactly do you live around here?" Nalo asked.

"I'll show you."

She guided them a little way down the mountain and onto Jagged Pass. They climbed down a couple of ledges until they reached a rock wall inscribed with a symbol shaped like an omega. Ikaika turned to her brother. "Nauki, you have to promise me this friend of yours is trustworthy."

"I'm right here, you know," Nalo grumbled, but she remained ignored.

"What, why? Why wouldn't she be trustworthy?"

Ikaika shifted uncomfortably. "Well, she's… You know."

"Actually, I don't."

She shot him a look and continued, "She's a Kyogran."

"And why would that make her untrustworthy?" Nauki demanded.

Ikaika fumbled for the right words but came up with none. "It's hard to explain. You know what? Just promise me she's safe, and that's all I need."

"I can promise for myself, thank you very much. Whatever you're hiding inside this volcano, I don't actually care enough to tell anybody," Nalo growled.

Ikaika was silent for a moment, as if listening to something Nauki could not hear, and then said, "I really am sorry, but I need _your_ word," to her brother.

"What she said is true. She won't do anything bad," said Nauki. He was shocked and angered. What right did his sister have to mistrust a pokémon she'd never met, just because she was a water-type? If Nalo had done him the same injustice, he would not be here today.

"Okay, that's good enough," said Ikaika. "Watch this. It's super cool." She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and placed her hand on the symbol. It started to glow with a fierce red light, and a tunnel opened up in the mountainside.

"Awesome, right?" Ikaika said. She looked so giddy Nauki could hardly maintain his poor mood. "Come in!"

When the tunnel opened up into a room, Nauki was surprised by what he found. They had reached a cave made of red rock, lit only by torchlight and puddles of glowing magma here and there. The long room stretched out into the heart of Mt. Chimney, with irregular platforms and crevices lining the walls, and entrances led elsewhere in the tunnel system. But the most shocking thing was that there were pokémon everywhere. Many different types were walking around, mingling and interacting, with the most common being fire, ground, rock, and steel. They all wore red cloaks with the omega symbol sewed onto the back.

"Nauki and company, welcome to Chimney Monastery," Ikaika announced.

Nauki opened his mouth to ask questions, but he was interrupted when a graveler shouted, "Lady Ikaika has returned!" All the pokémon immediately turned to her and kowtowed.

Nalo whispered to Nauki, "Is your sister a princess or something?"

As the monks and nuns rose to their feet, a camerupt in a cloak of considerably higher quality pushed through the crowd and bowed at Ikaika's feet. "My Lady, we are much pleased to see your return. How did your recent battle turn out?"

"It went great! The Sea Monster's back where he belongs," said Ikaika. "We'll have a celebratory feast tonight. Oh, I'd like you to meet someone. Nauki, come up here." Nauki stepped up to stand next to his sister. "Nauki, this is Abbot Kahuna Camerupt. He runs things around here. Kahuna, this is my little brother."

"Ah, so I finally have the pleasure of meeting the great one's own flesh and blood. It is truly an honor." Kahuna gave a quick bow, properly flustering Nauki. "Now, I shall begin preparations for the feast. Shall I reserve a seat for your brother and his…" When he spotted Nalo, his voice faltered. "Lady Ikaika, with all due respect, is inviting a Kyogran in here wise?"

"Don't worry about it, Kahuna. I got permission from the top. He says it's fine." The look in her eyes completed the unfinished sentence. _As long as we keep an eye on her._ "Reserve them both seats near me. I'm gonna take them downstairs."

Kahuna looked like he wanted nothing more than to argue, but he forced a nod. "Of course. I… I shall begin my work." He turned and marched off.

Ikaika turned to Nauki. "Okay, I know you want answers, and I promise those are coming up right now. Follow me, both of you."

Keeping up with Ikaika wasn't hard. She was a completely different pokémon than the one who had wielded the earth in a godlike fashion only hours prior. She made her way slowly, stopping to talk with monks and completely forgetting where they were even going several times. Had Ikaika always been this way? Nauki felt Pa'ani butt against the wall of his heart and winced.

Finally, they seemed to reach their destination. Nauki wasn't entirely sure how deep they had gone, but the temperature in this room was significantly higher than the rest of the monastery. They had reached a door made of hardened earth and lava rock. It looked like even a machoke would find it impossible to budge.

Ikaika stopped there. He'd never seen her look so nervous. "Okay, we're here. Just… don't freak out. Promise?"

"Ikaika, what exactly are we gonna see?" Nauki asked.

She fiddled with her fingers and said, "It's best I just show you." She then turned to Nalo. "I am really pulling strings to get you in here, so just promise me one more time you're not gonna do anything crazy."

Nalo tried her best not to look offended and failed miserably. "Just open the door."

"Okay," Ikaika breathed. "Here goes nothing." She placed her hand on the door and, with a deep rumbling, it lowered itself until an entrance had appeared.

The instant Nauki stepped through the door, the heat rolling through the corridor and on his body made his head begin to pound. He was startled. Never in his life had he experienced such discomfort from heat. He knew it as well as the town of Lavaridge did, but never had he wished it away this much. Nauki wondered just how hot it actually was in here. He turned to Nalo, who was already cloaking herself in icy water.

"Stay close," Ikaika said. She led them through the winding corridor, and as they went deeper, the heat grew more intense. As they neared its end, Nauki could see a red glow coming from the room at the end, and adrenalin started to pump through his veins.

Ikaika stopped them there. "This is gonna be a bit of a shock, so-"

"For Kyogre's sake, if you stall one more time, I will push past you and march in there myself," Nalo spat.

"Rude," Ikaika mumbled. She turned again and led them into the room.

Nauki didn't realize what Ikaika had been so nervous about at first. The room was blisteringly hot, a lake filled with boiling red magma stretching across most of the space. The only area they could actually stand on was a strip of land on edge of the room. There was a comfy couch at the edge with throw pillows that looked strangely out of place.

He turned to Ikaika. "I don't get it. What's the big-"

Nalo tapped his shoulder. Her eyes were stretched so wide he could make out the whites. Silently, she pointed to the lake.

Nauki followed her arm, and that's when he saw it. Down in the magma was the most enormous pokémon he'd ever seen. It was gigantic, probably able to stand over seven stories high. Its plated armor was ashy gray in color, and its eyes were closed in slumber, yet that did little to comfort Nauki from the white fangs larger than his own body.

He turned to the flygon. "Ikaika, wh-what is that?"

Before she could respond, Nalo answered. "Can't you just think for one second?" She looked at Ikaika. "It's The One Who Raised the Land."

Ikaika nodded. "Nauki, Nauki's friend, I'd like you to meet Groudon."

For the second time in one day, Nauki had to consider whether or not he was dreaming. "You're joking, right? You have to be joking. I mean, I know the stories, but they were always just stories… Right?"

Ikaika shook her head. "All the stories you've ever heard are true. That there, is the legendary pokémon Groudon. Well, there's more to it than that."

"What else could there be?" asked Nauki, his voice a whimper.

"You see how Groudon's armor is gray instead of red? That means his body is asleep. The Kaulike Legendary did that to him," Ikaika explained. "But there's this thing legendary pokémon can do. They all got the ability from another legendary, and it gives them the power to separate their souls from their bodies and take up residence in the body of another if certain requirements are met."

Deep down in Nauki's brain, he knew where this was going, but his consciousness refused to accept it. "Don't tell me…"

"That's right!" she announced halfheartedly. "I'm the legendling of Groudon."

Nauki's eyes widened, and he approached her slowly. "So… You…"

"Yeah. As of right now, I'm Groudon, and Groudon is me," she explained further. "I know it's a lot to take in, but-"

"So, why did you leave?"

This caught Ikaika off guard. "Huh?"

"Why did you leave? For this?" Nauki gestured angrily to the legendary in the magma. "I didn't come all the way down here with you to hear about stupid Groudon and the problems he dragged you into. Tell me why you left."

"I… I couldn't stay, Nauki. I wasn't well back then, and when Groudon came to me and explained everything, I couldn't… I couldn't just say no." Her voice was weak, faltering.

Had Ikaika always been this way?

Nauki's brain went red with anger. "You didn't even say goodbye. You left me for some stranger, and you wouldn't even say goodbye." He stormed forward until he was right in front of her. "Do you know how much it hurt?! I didn't know if you were dead or kidnapped or in pain, and you were HERE. You were _here_ letting all these numbskulls bow down to you and call you _Lady Ikaika_ , and messing around with Groudon in your body, and not for one second did you think of your brother."

Ikaika was on the verge of tears. "I did, I swear I did. But I couldn't drag you into this. It's more complicated than-"

"I don't wanna hear your excuses!" Nauki yelled. "What happened to our friendship? You promised me we'd always be friends. What happened to flying away? What happened to going anywhere and everywhere? Did you chuck that plan out the window the second stupid Groudon gave you a better option? You're not the Ikaika I used to know! You're not Ika anymore."

Now Ikaika was crying. "Nauki, please-" But before she could go on, her voice halted like a car with its break suddenly pressed. She grimaced and curled inward on herself. "No, stop! Not now! Leave him _alone_!"

Nauki's anger washed down the drain. "Ikaika? What's wrong?" He moved forward to help, but she held out a shaky arm to stop him.

"Stop it! He's my brother!" she yelped, but whatever thing she was fighting, she was powerless to stop it. She coughed and fell over, and all was still.

"Ikaika?" Nauki called. He moved forward and hesitantly prodded her limp body. "Please say something."

Suddenly, her eyes shot open, but when they did, they were not Ikaika's eyes he saw. A red glow poured from them with such ferocity he couldn't even see her eyes through the glow. Red light seemed to be pouring from the gaps in her scales, and she slowly rose until her spine was straight.

"Nauki, get back," Nalo ordered. When he remained frozen, she yanked him back to her.

Then Ikaika spoke, but it was not her voice alone. It was now woven together with another voice, this one deep and terrifying, as if it could make the ground split with a single gesture. "You dare?"

Nauki tried to respond, but the only thing his throat could produce was a squeak.

Ikaika stepped forward, her fingers curled into claws. "You dare speak to me in this way? I, the Builder of Continents? Your insolence will not be TOLERATED." She stepped again, and a fissure opened up at the duo's feet. They barely managed to leap back before they were swallowed. "YOU THINK I WILL TOLERATE SUCH DISRESPECTFUL TALK? YOU DARE TO THINK YOUR IRRELEVANT NEEDS ARE OF HIGHER PRIORITY THAN _MINE_? I WILL SLAY YOU WHERE YOU STAND IN A HEARTBEAT, TRAPINCH. GET _OUT_!"

" _Run_!" Nalo yelled. She grabbed Nauki and pulled him back into the corridor. The trapinch was so frightened he hardly managed to make his legs work, but when he heard Groudon pursuing them, he ran faster than he ever had in his life. Cracks in the earth chased their feet, relentlessly trying to send them to a fiery death.

"AND SHOULD I SEE YOU AGAIN, I WILL RIP YOUR BONES FROM YOUR LIVING BODY. THE EARTH WILL DEVOUR YOU. I AM _GROUDON_."

They reached the door so quickly Nauki was almost surprised. He and Nalo leaped through, and it rose up behind them, but they didn't stop running just yet. They ran up the stairs as fast as a racecar and out of the room…

…And immediately bumped into someone.

"Ouch!" Nauki yelped as he hit the floor. He looked up to see he and Nalo had bumped into a…

 _What sort of pokémon is that?_ He quickly realized she was a sandshrew, but she was the strangest sandshrew he'd ever seen. Her scales were bright red instead of pale gold, and her belly was snow white instead of cream. He wondered if she was a shiny until he remembered Hine once telling him that shiny sandshrews were green.

The sandshrew got up. "Oh gosh, I'm _so_ sorry. Are you alright?"

"We're fine," said Nalo. "We just had a bit of a scare."

The sandshrew cocked her head. "A scare?" Then she seemed to realize. "Oh, you made Groudon mad, didn't you?"

Nauki nodded. He was still too shaken to speak.

"Oooh, that's rough. That hasn't happened to me, but I've seen the Lady Ikaika mad, and it isn't good. No sirree," the sandshrew said. "Technically, we're supposed to kick out guests who make her mad, but you both are sooo cute. I won't tell."

"That's… awfully kind of you," Nalo stated, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I'm just nice," she shrugged. "I'm Saital Sandshrew. Who're you?"

"I'm Nalo Mudkip. This is Nauki Trapinch."

"Nauki?" Saital made an exaggerated gasp. "You're Lady Ikaika's brother! She talks about you."

"Sh-she does?" Nauki asked.

Saital nodded. "You're as cute as she says. But what're you doing making your sister mad?"

"Well, it wasn't really Ikaika we made mad. It was more Groudon himself," explained Nauki.

Saital's eyes widened. "You did something so bad Groudon came out to yell at you? You must've really done something rawr."

"Something _rawr_?" Nalo interrupted.

Saital ignored her. "If that's the case, it'll be a while before Groudon cools down. I bet Lady Ikaika would want me to bring you two to the guest chamber. Come on, walk it off and follow me."

They followed Saital through the monastery, both trying their bests not to look guilty and contain their shaking, until they arrived at a corridor full of rooms. "This is where the monks and nuns sleep. You probably shouldn't go in any of these rooms. It's kinda rude."

When a mawile stopped them, Nauki thought for sure he was going to get kicked out or eaten or both. She must know somehow. "Sister Saital, who do you have with you?"

"They're the Lady Ikaika's guests, Sister Kaikua'ana. I'm showing them the guest room."

"Lady Ikaika gave you this order?" Kaikua'ana asked.

"Yes, she did!"

Kaikua'ana nodded. "Very well. By the way, you ought to be on your best behavior, Sister Saital. The abbot has been considering raising your rank to sub-elite nun."

"Oh, really? That's wonderful!" Saital cheered. She seemed genuinely happy, but something about her demeanor felt off to Nauki. "Thank you, Sister Kaikua'ana."

"Don't thank me until the ceremony, should it happen." Kaikua'ana moved on, leaving them alone once again.

"Sorry about that, friends. Come on." Saital brought them to the end of the corridor and up the steps until they reached a small room. There were three beds and a pile of diorite stones in the corner. "Welcome to the guest room!"

"Nice place," Nalo admitted, "if a bit cramped." She moved to claim the bed farthest to the wall.

"If you need anything, just ask anyone. Of course, I would lay low for a little while, but once Groudon's calmed down, just ask anyone," said Saital. "And you can always find me if you need anything."

"Thanks, Saital. You've been really nice," Nauki said.

She shrugged. "S'no trouble. Hope to see you around." She went back down the stairs.

Nauki turned to see that Nalo had already fallen asleep. He was slightly disappointed, for he'd been hoping to talk about what had happened, but he understood her sleepiness. He was exhausted himself. He moved to the nearest bed, and the second his head hit the pillow, he fell asleep.

* * *

"That wasn't right, and you know it."

Ikaika had been the legendling of Groudon for a long time. She could not even remember what it was like to not have the Earthshaker in her body, what it was like to not have constant strength and warmth flowing through her veins. Being a legendling could be hard sometimes, especially with the unexpected takeovers that occasionally occurred, but never had her partner done something so despicable. She would not claim to be angry, but upset certainly was a good word to describe her feelings.

 _The trapinch was disrespectful. You expect me to sit and do nothing as he calls my needs pointless?_

"For anyone else, no, but this is my brother we're talking about. You probably scared him to bits." Ikaika let her body sink into the plush cushions of the couch. "You can be super scary when you want to."

 _It is a talent I am proud of._

"But you don't have to do it with Nauki. He just gets like that when he's mad. He didn't mean it," Ikaika said.

 _Whether or not his words were true is irrelevant. He dared to disrespect me._

"Don't be so serious all the time." Ikaika sat up slightly, resting her curved back against the couch's arm, and gazed down at her legendary's sleeping body in the magma below. "You're so handsome, you know."

 _Appearance has little to do with strength. You ought to know this after four years of servitude._

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you can't be pretty. I can just imagine you when you're awake, with your plates fiery red, stomping around Hoenn and causing awesome earthquakes," imagined Ikaika

 _Many eons ago, when I was awake and in my own body, all the pokémon paid me much respect._

"I'll bet," said Ikaika. Groudon went on to describe the awe and fear the common folk felt for him in the ancient days, and usually Ikaika was eager to listen and absorb as much knowledge as she could, but today her attentiveness began to wane, and a frown settled on her face.

Groudon took note. _Legendling, by now you must be aware that I am subjected to any negative emotions that ail you._

"I know. I'm sorry," Ikaika said. "I just…" Tears began to well in her eyes. "I'm just worried Nauki won't ever forgive me."

 _Shall I force his forgiveness?_

"No," she mumbled.

 _You must cure this negativity. It won't do well to have you distracted in the next battle._

"I know."

 _How will you make an attempt to do so?_

She thought for a moment. "I should go talk to Nauki. It'll do no good if I just mope here. I've got to try and make amends somehow."

 _The trapinch must understand a legendary pokémon's needs rise above all others'._

"That, and I hope he can understand why I had to leave Lavaridge." Ikaika slid off the couch and stretched out her arms. "Come on, let's go find him."

* * *

Nauki sat on the floor with his pocket waaliona, sifting through sheet music. He hadn't had a chance to practice properly since a lonely night at Cove Lily Inn, and he dreaded the thought of getting rusty. He finally came up with the piece _Mt. Chimney's Wrath_ , an angry composition written by an anonymous composer not more than a century ago. Hine had bought it for him a year ago, and he hoped to commit it to memory soon. Dragging sheet music everywhere was growing tiresome. He glanced over the notes quickly, stretched out his forelegs, and began to strum, quietly so not to wake Nalo.

As Nauki played, the world quickly slipped away, and he found himself in an empty ballroom. Well, empty except for his partner. The music speedily locked him in a hold, and they started to dance. They swayed and slid and stepped with each other until nothing existed except his partner, until she swelled up inside him and became his blood, his breath, his heartbeat, his spirit. He was the music, and the music was him. Nauki and his partner were locked in a tango, fighting for control but also patient with each other, and an onlooker might wonder if how he would ever come out of this eternal dance.

"I see you've got a new skill."

Nauki yelped, yanked out of the music trance like a fish yanked from a pond by the hook. He squeaked, "Present!" before ungracefully flopping over. Feeling sheepish, he looked up to see Ikaika standing in the doorway.

Pa'ani shifted position in his heart.

"Oh, hi," greeted Nauki. He felt awkward, desperate not to mention the donphan in the room but knowing he had no choice if his sister had appeared here.

Ikaika moved inward, yet not straying far from the doorway. "You play so well, you know. When I heard the music, I thought I'd find you here. You always loved it. Who showed you, by the way?"

"Saital Sandshrew."

"Oh! She's a lovely girl, if a bit odd," said Ikaika nonchalantly. "So… about earlier…"

"Ika, I'm so, _so_ sorry," Nauki sped into it before she could even have a word of edgewise. "What I did was completely wrong. I don't know what came over me. I just got so mad, and you know what I get like when I'm mad. But I honestly didn't mean any of those things I said, andIreallyhopeyouforgivemebecauseIdon'tknowwhatI'ddoif-"

"Nauki, slow down!" He halted. "It's okay. I… I get why you would think those things."

Nauki opened his mouth to argue, but she held up a finger and shushed him. "You don't have to pretend," Ikaika murmured. "And even if you're not pretending, I'd just feel better if you'd let me explain."

"Okay," said Nauki quietly.

"But not here. No offense, but I don't really wanna share all this with your friend there, in case she wakes up," said Ikaika, gesturing to Nalo on the bed.

"Honestly, I don't get why you don't trust her. She's only protected me." _Besides the time she ditched me in Lilycove, but I just won't mention that. Ikaika would probably gut her._

"Oh, it isn't _me_ who doesn't trust her. That was Groudon. He doesn't like Kyograns," Ikaika explained.

That was when Nauki recalled he and his sister were not alone in the room, and frightening memories from earlier resurfaced in his mind. Ikaika must've noticed, because she said, "I'm sorry about Groudon. He's… Well, he's big on respect, and he has a bit of a temper." Her attention turned away from him for a second. "Well, it's true, you know," she muttered to the Earthshaker.

"Don't worry about it." Nauki said, trying his best to ignore the third presence. "So, you wanted to explain. Where should we go?"

"My room, of course!" Ikaika said excitedly. "Come on!" She grabbed his paw and half-led, half-tugged him out of the guest chamber and down the steps. They left the sleeping room corridor and entered an open room filled with monks and nuns. Ikaika led the way down the stairs, through a library and past a magma pond, down another set of stairs, and to an earthen door, similar to the one from Groudon's chamber. She placed her hand on it, and the door lowered.

Upon entering the room, Nauki's first thought was, _This is_ definitely _Ikaika's room._ It was large for a bedroom. There was a great, king-sized bed that was surprisingly orderly, no doubt thanks to the janitorial monks. There were plush throw pillows everywhere, a soft pink carpet, all sorts of beads and jewelry scattered, and an empty glass case in the corner. It looked like one could lie down and fall asleep anywhere. "I love what you've done with the place."

"Thanks. Those rock hard beds the monks use are horrid. I had Kahuna get this," Ikaika stated proudly. She took a seat in the middle of the rug and rested her back against a stack of pillows, propping her feet up on an enormous mareep doll and letting her wings flop. "Sit down."

"Oh, sure." Nauki took a seat next to her. He knew Ikaika wouldn't be as comfortable talking if they sat face to face. This way, she wouldn't have to look him in the eye when she spoke. He snuggled up against a blue cushion as big as his body and said, "You can start whenever you're ready."

She inhaled, exhaled, and began. "I'm not really sure if you remember this, but living in Lavaridge was really tough for me. Everyone said I was a freak, a disgrace on the town." She grimaced.

"I remember. I never really understood why, though."

"You wouldn't have. I'm what they call a mana, but Groudon told me the proper term is chikara. I don't have to use moves to fight. I can fight with the earth itself." To demonstrate, she lifted her talons and raised a chunk of red rock from the ground. She dropped her arm, and it collided with the ground. "It's rare, and it makes me powerful. Pokémon who aren't like me fear it, and, well, the rest is history."

She paused, listening to something else, and murmured, "I know, and I'm proud of it. I'm just trying to explain to Nauki."

Nauki found it strange, watching his sister speak with someone he could not see nor hear, but he made no comment and awaited her continuation.

"Anyways, lots of pokémon in Lavaridge were scared of me. You were my only friend. Even Mom and Dad hated me," Ikaika mumbled. "And since I wasn't very good at controlling myself back then, whenever I would get mad, bad things would happen. Earthquakes, landslides, you name it. I was the town's unhappiness in pokémon form. I didn't want to leave you, I never did, but life there was unbearable. I wasn't well."

"I understand. You did all you could." The words tasted sour on Nauki's tongue. He wasn't sure why.

"I came back and watched you, sometimes," Ikaika admitted sheepishly. "I was so close by I couldn't resist. Groudon didn't like it, but I would just perch in the trees and watch. I'm really sorry you had to deal with all that when I left. Everyone started picking on you when they couldn't pick on me, and that isn't fair at all."

"I don't mind, really." Nauki felt like he was chewing on lemons.

"You should," she murmured. "You have a right to be angry."

"No, I don't," argued Nauki. "What's the point in getting angry when I'm finally reunited with my sister again?" He reached forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, and she returned the hug gladly, squeezing him tight.

"Oh, I missed you," sighed Ikaika.

When Nauki let go, she continued. "I thought I'd bring you up to speed on the situation." She pointed to her chest. "This is Groudon. Say hi."

"Uhm, hi." He waved his paw awkwardly.

"Groudon says hi, too," Ikaika said. "See, about four years ago. Groudon woke up from his sleep. Well, not completely. His spirit woke up. Since his body couldn't move, he had to get a legendling, or another body. Since we have to meet specific requirements, we're hard to come by, and I was the closest at hand."

"Were there any others?" Nauki inquired.

She was quiet for a moment, then translated, "Groudon says there were only two, and both really far for a lone soul to travel."

"Oh."

"Well, you see, he really needed a legendling, because Groudon didn't wake up alone."

Ikaika paused, as if waiting for Nauki to connect the dots. He wished Nalo were here. "Who else woke up?"

Ikaika shook her head slightly and replied, "Kyogre, the Sea Monster. And when both Kyogre and Groudon are awake, what happens?"

"War," Nauki said. Then he exclaimed, "Don't tell me you're at war with Kyogre!"

"The Sea Monster and his legendling," Ikaika explained further. "I know it's crazy, but until this war is over and done with, I can't even think about leaving. There has to be a winner."

Nauki cocked his head. "With all due respect to Groudon, I don't understand. Shouldn't the Nameless God have come and stopped it already?"

Ikaika said to Groudon, "Come on, he's just asking," and said to Nauki, "Technically, yeah, but we haven't seen any sign of the Kaulike. Groudon thinks he's alive, but…" She shrugged.

 _I hope he shows up soon._ "What're you fighting over, then?"

Ikaika looked confused. "Hm?"

"The war. What's it over? Did something new happen or something?"

Ikaika thought for a moment. "Well, he's the Sea Monster. He's bound to do something bad."

Nauki decided to change the subject, since he wouldn't get anywhere here. "Why do you keep calling him the Sea Monster? Why not just Kyogre?"

"Oh, it's very disrespectful to call other legendaries by their names. Usually, titles are used instead," explained Ikaika.

"But you call Groudon by his name."

She shrugged. "Well, I _am_ Groudon."

Nauki giggled. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that," he said lightheartedly.

"Oh, come on. You will! Give it time."

They were interrupted when there was a knock on the door. Ikaika got up and opened it, revealing a little phanpy girl. "Lady Ikaika, I was sent to tell you that dinner's ready."

"Thanks, Ihu. You look pretty today." The phanpy blushed and galloped off. "Come on, Nauki. Time to feast!"

* * *

Celebratory dinners at Chimney Monastery were momentous occasions. The dining table was in a large room at the middle step of three levels. There was a social mingling area above, and the lowest level was merely a route to other areas through the tunnels. The table was a great U-shape made of a wood so polished it felt like marble. Ikaika had the largest, cushiest seat at the center of the table, with Kahuna to her immediate left and Nauki to her right. While the monks and nuns sat rigidly and ate with little casualness, Ikaika slouched in her chair. Her back was propped against one arm while her feet spilled over the other. They would be right in Kahuna's face if his chair had not already been moved slightly away from her, throwing off the symmetry just a bit.

Ikaika hadn't spoken to Nauki since they'd arrived at the meal, no doubt needing to recharge after their emotional talk, but the trapinch found himself desiring someone to chat with. He was glad when he saw Nalo enter the dining room with Saital Sandshrew. The little nun pointed Nauki out, and Nalo headed in his direction.

"This is fancy." Nauki didn't mind the lack of proper greeting. "Do you suppose we'll get some good food?"

"No doubt about it!" he cheered. "By the way, I see you're with Saital again."

"Why not? I have no idea where anything here is, and she's nice enough," Nalo shrugged as she took her seat. "So… made up with Lady Groudon?"

"You know, you can call her Ikaika. And yes, I did."

"Good. We don't need any awkwardness."

Ikaika bent her head down so she could look at them upside-down. "Hi there, Mudkip. I believe I missed your name."

"It's Nalo, and you didn't miss it. You just forgot," Nalo replied curtly.

"Whoops! My bad. I'm not too good with names," Ikaika giggled. "So, how'd you two meet?"

"Nalo came to Lavaridge investigating the st-"

Nauki was cut off when Nalo slapped her hand over his mouth. "I came to Lavaridge on a secret mission. Nauki was interested in finding you, so we teamed up."

"Neat. Oh, hang on. Gotta make a toast." Ikaika lifted her head and shifted to stand in her chair. She lifted a glass cup and tapped her claw on it, making a _ting ting_ sound that silenced the room. "Brothers and sisters! I'm pleased to announce that I had a super awesome victory against the Sea Monster today. Yay!"

The monks and nuns clapped and smiled. Some of the younger ones even whistled, including Ihu Phanpy, who looked absolutely smitten with Ikaika.

"Also, we've got two reasons to celebrate tonight. You heard me right; two! My little brother, Nauki Trapinch, and his friend, Nalo Mudkip, are joining us today. They'll be here for… I don't know, an amount of time, so I ask that you all be courteous. Okay, I'm done blabbering. Let's eat!"

Ikaika flopped back into her chair, resuming her previous position, and several waiting monks and nuns brought out platters. They were all larger portions than Nauki had ever seen in his life. When a carvanha set one down before him, he couldn't resist salivating at the aroma. His plate was intricately decorated with tropical berries, salads with five different dressings, and two different soups decorated with herbs. _This might even be better than Kanto food._

It was then that Nauki noticed no one was touching their food. Not a single pokémon was even looking at their plate. All eyes were on Ikaika, who had yet to receive a plate. The instant hers was set down and she lifted a berry to her tongue, the entire hall proceeded to eat.

 _They really respect Ikaika. Worship her, even. I guess that makes sense since she has Groudon inside her._

After everyone started eating, dinner proceeded quieter than Nauki would have expected with Ikaika in charge. Of course, his sister would call random monks up to her and start conversations, and most of them seemed pretty comfortable. Some were extremely pious and would say things like, "My day went however the great Lady Ikaika commands it to have went!" Others were so casual Kahuna would cut in. "Sister, please do not speak to Lady Ikaika in such a casual tone." But Ikaika would always tell him to pull that stick out of his ass, to which Kahuna would always be left speechless.

Nauki was introduced to his sister's conversation partners more often than he would have preferred. With good food in front of him, talking was not on the priority list, but he was polite anyway. He met little monks and nuns younger and tinier than him, monks and nuns who might have been as old as Groudon, monks and nuns who looked way too attractive to be abstinent, monks and nuns uglier than rocks. He was glad that Ikaika ate with a smile on her face, but there was something worrying that Nauki took note of. He wasn't even certain of whether or not it was truly there, but whenever a newer monk was too nervous to even form a complete sentence, or when a skinny old nun would bow far too often, loneliness would take up residence in Ikaika's eyes.

 _Don't say anything. You don't wanna make her upset,_ Nauki thought. _Not after you managed to patch things up from your freak out._

He turned when Nalo tapped him on the shoulder. "What's wrong?" she demanded.

"Huh? Nothing's wrong. Why, what makes you say so?"

"I'm not an idiot. Far from it, in fact. You look like a dejected miltank." Nalo spread a spoonful of soup over an iapapa berry and took a bite. She didn't continue until she finished chewing. "Spill."

"It's not that important, really, but let's not talk here. I promise I'll tell you later," Nauki promised. Nalo seemed satisfied and turned back to her food.

He did notice that nobody at Chimney Monastery seemed appreciative of Nalo's presence. He caught Kahuna shooting her a look that would suggest Nalo had brutally murdered his mother more than once, and the children would not walk past her. Nauki heard some monks whisper to Ikaika, "Milady, with all due respect, why is there a Kyogran here?" Nalo didn't seem to notice, or if she did, she didn't mind. Nauki thought, _She must have expected as much, coming to a Groutian place._

After an hour, dinner ended, and the monks dispersed. Ikaika told Nauki, "If you need me, I'll be in Groudon's chamber. You can totally explore and talk to everyone if you want. They're all really nice."

"Okay." Ikaika slipped off her chair and headed off, leaving Nauki and Nalo alone.

"So, what do you wanna do?"

"Hmm." Nalo thought for a moment. "I hoped to engage one of the monks in a game of chess."

Nauki cocked his head. "What's chess?"

Nalo gasped and gave him a light whack. "Oh, you of course you wouldn't know! Chess is only the best game in all of Hoenn. It's a game of wits, strategy, and intelligence. Some say it was played before the Age of Beasts."

"If it's before then, how do you know the rules?" Nauki wondered.

Nalo glared at him. "Obviously some improvisation was necessary. Come on, I'm gonna propose a game to Saital."

Nalo didn't ask for his permission, so Nauki willingly followed her in the search for Saital. They found the oddly colored sandshrew in the public area, gushing over a few of the especially adorable children. _She looks like she's gonna have a heart attack from cuteness overload._

"Saital!" Nalo called. They walked up to her. "Are you familiar with the rules of chess?"

"Well, duh. I've been playing that for… for ages. The rules really could use some standardizing, though," said Saital. "What, you wanna play?"

"No, I just wanted to ask you if you knew it, nothing more," Nalo muttered.

Saital gave her an amused look. "Wow, sarcasm. That's original. Got anything else?"

Nalo's face darkened. _I shall crush her on the chessboard and leave her pieces' broken bodies for the mandibuzzes._ "Where can we play?"

"The library's got boards. Let's go there." Saital turned to the kids. "I'll catch you lot later."

"Buh bye, Sister Saital!" the kids chorused. The nun turned and led them through the tunnels until they reached the library.

The monastery had an impressive collection of tomes. They looked to be falling apart, as if one touch would cause disintegration. Nonetheless, several of the monks were browsing through books or reading at the tables in the middle. "This place is great. You're totally free to browse if you want. We've even got books that are before the Age of Beasts," Saital informed.

"Are they translated?" Nalo asked.

"Well, no, but Brother Puki is working on it. Just between you and me, they aren't all that interesting."

Nalo halted. "How would you know that?"

Saital looked confused. "Know what?"

"How would you know what they contain? The languages have yet to be translated," Nalo demanded.

Saital's eyes widened, and she scratched the back of her head. "Oh, I don't know. Just a guess. I mean, aren't all big, yellow books boring?"

Nalo ignored that. "So, where are the chessboards?"

"Over here!" Saital seemed thankful for the change in subject, and she rushed to grab a board. They set up on a table, with Nalo as white and Saital as black, and they began to play with Nauki watching and pretending to know the rules.

Nalo made her move first, advancing the pawn in front of the king. "Saital Sandshrew, do you know anything about the storm?"

Saital gave her a look Nauki could not decipher. "Haven't you figured it out already?"

"I want to know what you think."

Saital advanced the pawn before her left rook. "It's caused by Groudon and Kyogre's fighting. All the stories confirm it. Came to the same conclusion, did you?"

Nalo nodded and moved out a bishop. "I'm from Dewford Town."

"Dewford? A lovely place. Been to Granite Cave?" Saital started moving out her pieces in preparation for a king's castle.

Nalo cocked her head slightly. "You've been there? I wouldn't suspect someone as Groutian as a nun serving under the Earthshaker to go to a Kyogran island."

Saital moved out a knight, still prepping for a castle. "I only joined Chimney Monastery two years ago. Before then, I traveled all over Hoenn. I could ask the same of you, ya know. What's a Kyogran doing in Groudon's home?"

Nalo went to move out another bishop but stopped when she noticed Saital's knight guarding her selected square. She instead moved the queen up one square. "I'm with Nauki, though coming here has been pretty useful to my mission. Why did you come to Chimney Monastery?"

Nauki found himself hopelessly confused. He could tell this chess game was more than just a game, but he was unaware of the rules on both playing fields. Saital had a dark look in her eye that he found slightly terrifying, like she could kill him in sixteen different ways with just her bare paws, and Nalo looked triumphant even though the game had only just begun. Though, when Nalo's gaze flicked to him for a second, he could feel it just starting to come together in his head.

"I came looking for a new home. My family is gone, and someone who knew I was a devoted Groutian referred me to here. Lady Ikaika accepted me," Saital explained. She swapped the places of the rook and the king, forming a castle.

Nalo was unfazed. "No other reason?"

"Well, I guess meeting Groudon counts, but that's it." She advanced her knight into enemy territory. "You're smarter than you look, Nalo Mudkip."

Nalo made her next move without even looking at the board. Nauki wondered if it was a good one. "I am aware of that. How smart are you, Saital?"

"Smarter." She made her move. "And wiser. I suggest you tread carefully. Your queen is in danger."

"Is it? Ah." Nalo glanced down at the board again and moved her queen safely out of reach. "You'll be taking my knight, I guess. A good trap."

"Why, do you want me to? Maybe if you beg," Saital teased. Instead, she moved a pawn forward. "Check."

"Huh?!" Nalo's eyes darted around the board, and it was a good twenty seconds before she spotted Saital's check. "Ah."

"Your only legal play is the bishop. You will be dead in one move," Saital informed her.

Nalo spent four minutes trying to think her way out of Saital's iron grip, but in the end, she moved her bishop as commanded. Saital moved her knight forward. "Checkmate." She left without another word.


	6. Forging Friendships

**Chapter Five: Forging Friendships**

* * *

A fortnight passed in Chimney Monastery, and Nauki and Nalo had not seen Saital since the chess game. The mudkip was far too ashamed to even mention her name, let alone discuss any odd occurrences involving the nun. Often, Nauki wondered if Saital was deliberately avoiding them, but he could not be certain.

However, Nauki had little time to focus on the enigma that was Saital Sandshrew. He spent the majority of his time with Ikaika. He would listen to her share stories of triumphant battles against Kyogre or talk about Groudon like a smitten schoolgirl, and she would ask him to play her songs on the waaliona. He even suggested they write a song together like they once had, this time with an instrument to tie it all together. Though Ikaika had been hesitant at first for some unknown reason, she eventually agreed.

That had been yesterday, and today, Nauki was prepared to begin. After a quick explanation to Nalo about where he was off to, he stacked his waaliona and several pages of blank sheet music on his back and headed off to Ikaika's room.

As he moved through the monastery, he spotted Saital for the first time in a fortnight. Nauki almost expected her to ignore him or act in a hostile manner, but she waved amiably and approached him. "Hi, Nauki. Where are you off to?"

"I'm gonna go hang out with Ikaika," he said happily.

Saital's smile vanished. "Oh, you mustn't. In fact, you probably shouldn't go to her for a couple of days."

Nauki was shocked. "What? Why?"

"It's hard to explain. You know what? Go and find out, but then you should leave her be." Without further explanation, Saital moved on.

 _She could be less cryptic,_ Nauki thought. _Why would Ikaika not wanna see me?_

Nauki continued on his way, but as he did, he started to notice a heavy mood in the monastery. He spotted little Ihu crying into an ampharos's shoulder, and a circle of older nuns murmured a prayer. He heard a steelix whisper to a golem, "They're getting more and more frequent. I'm really worried."

 _Is something this wrong?_ he wondered. He had no idea what the problem could be, but the heavy atmosphere was already taking a toll on his mood. He picked up the pace, dropping a couple of sheets as he hurried along.

When he arrived at Ikaika's room, Kahuna was standing outside. He hadn't spoken to the abbot besides the occasional small talk. The camerupt had a tendency to smack him on the head every time he said something vaguely crude, and the sight of those humps spewing lava was enough to send Nauki running. "'Scuse me. I'd like to go in."

"No one is to see the Lady Ikaika at this time," Kahuna stated. "You may see her in two to three days."

"Why? What's going on?" Nauki demanded.

"It is not my place to say. Only the Lady Ikaika may share her secrets."

Nauki's chest tightened with anger. "I wanna see my sister!"

"You will have to be patient."

"Get out of my way!"

A torkoal exited the room, causing the conversation to pause. "Abbot Kahuna, where is the Lady Ikaika's brother? I would like to bring him." He then saw Nauki. "Oh! It seems he is already here."

"Brother Olakino, you know very well that is against the rules set by the Lady Ikaika herself," Kahuna argued.

"I believe the Lady would make an exception for her family, and this could be very helpful. Would you deny her this and face her wrath when she is well?" When Kahuna didn't respond, Olakino said, "Quite. Come, young one." He moved aside, allowing Nauki into the room.

When Nauki saw Ikaika, his blood ran cold. She looked absolutely awful. The flygon seemed to have lost half her weight in one night, she was soaked in sweat, and her breaths were quick and heavy. Her eyes were squeezed shut in agony, and she was curled in a fetal position on her bed.

"Ika!" he gasped. He quickly raced to her side. "What happened to her?"

Olakino approached. "I am afraid the Lady Ikaika suffers from these episodes often. Once a month, though they grow more frequent."

"Why? Is she sick?" Then it hit him. "Groudon. It's Groudon, isn't it?"

The healer nodded solemnly. "Hosting a legendary is very taxing on the body, especially when the type matchup is impure."

"Impure? What do you mean?" Nauki asked.

"Lord Groudon is strictly a ground-type, while the Lady Ikaika is both ground and dragon. Because she is a type that her legendary is not, she suffers more for it."

"Then why couldn't Groudon find somebody else?!" Nauki shouted. He felt guilty from Olakino's startled look, but before he could apologize, his attention was distracted.

"Hot. I-it's hot," Ikaika breathed. Her voice was so quiet and fragile Nauki hardly recognized it. "T-too hot."

"Is there any ice?" Nauki demanded.

Olakino shook his head. "Any ice we can bring into Mt. Chimney will melt the second it enters the tunnels."

"Then I'll get Nalo! She can make icy water for Ika." Nauki moved to exit, but Olakino blocked his path. "Get out of my way."

"I believe the Lady Ikaika would allow you in here, but to bring a Kyogran into her chamber would be betraying Lord Groudon. I cannot allow it."

"But she can help!" Nauki cried.

"Bringing a worshipper of his enemy into Lord Groudon's own bedroom would make him furious. Do you really believe the Lady Ikaika can stand his anger in such a state?" Olakino asked.

Nauki couldn't respond. He'd had a run in with Groudon before, and he had no desire to do so again. Besides, if it would kill Ikaika…

"Fine. But I'm gonna stay with her."

"Of course. I will bring more herbs for the pain. I hoped your presence would help the relieve her somewhat, but… it seems I was wrong. I'll return shortly" After giving Ikaika a distressed look, Olakino turned and left.

Nauki once again approached the bed. He could hardly stand seeing Ikaika like this. Moans of pain escaped her mouth, and she kept shifting as if she couldn't find a comfortable position. Hoping to prove Olakino's theory right, Nauki started to clamber onto the bed, but the second he was near her, Ikaika's eyes shot open, glowing with fiery red light. She snarled and lashed out at him with her claws.

Nauki leaped back, but he was not quick enough. The instant her hand touched his skin, he screeched in pain. It felt like he had been swatted by magma. He looked down at his hide to see an angry red burn marring his left shoulder, and it was slowly worsening. "Agh," he hissed.

Upon reentering, Olakino gasped. "What happened?" he asked as he rushed over.

"Um, I was just going to go comfort her, and she clawed at me, and…" He finished by gesturing to the burn.

"It is not safe to come too close to her at this time. If it is any comfort, however, it was not your sister who attacked you. While the Lady Ikaika is incapacitated, Lord Groudon defends her. And rumor has it you and Lord Groudon are not friends," Olakino said.

"Yeah, we had a bit of a spew," Nauki admitted, hoping the monk wouldn't slay him at the altar for it.

Too his luck, Olakino chuckled. "Well, if the Lady Ikaika does not mind, I do not mind either. Let me attend to her now, and I shall see to your burn as soon as I am done."

"Thanks!" said Nauki. _I hope that's kinda soon. This is starting to sting._ The burn was growing more painful by the second. However, he was patient and watched as Olakino administered the herbs to Ikaika. He did so with a one-meter pole, careful not to come too close. It seemed to be hard work, but it got done, and when she'd swallowed all the herbs, her breathing settled down.

"How do those help?" Nauki asked.

"They ease the headaches and help her to relax," Olakino explained. "I will give her more in six hours. Now let's see to your burn. Come with me."

"But what about Ikaika? I should stay," Nauki argued.

Olakino smiled fondly. "It is known that the Lady Ikaika prefers her bedroom empty. I feel she will relax more if we leave her be."

"But I'm her brother!"

"And you will be her brother when you return, but not if that burn gets infected."

Nauki sighed. "Okay, fine." He allowed Olakino to guide him out of the room.

When they exited, they found Kahuna still present. "How is the Lady Ikaika?"

"I have administered the herbs, but I'm afraid I cannot do much for her in this state. This episode is not as bad as others, so I expect she will be able to attend dinner tomorrow. You may relax," explained Olakino.

"Thank you, Brother. I will find another to stand guard."

"Of course. Come along, Nauki." Olakino led him through the caverns. He was surprised when they entered the small room where the entrance Groudon's chamber was. The earthen door was in place as usual.

"Hey, why are we here?" Nauki asked.

Olakino approached a wooden cabinet and started to sort through the drawers. "This is the safe room of the monastery, but it also serves as a medical center. Abbot Kahuna thought it best that we be able to reach the herb supply in an emergency."

"What emergency could happen? Nobody knows you're here."

Olakino looked stressed. "Yes, I should hope things will remain that way. However, Lord Groudon as at war with the One Who Drowned the World. It is known that Kyogre's legendling is in search of Lord Groudon's stronghold. Should he discover it, it will mean doom for us all unless the Lady Ikaika can defeat him. She organized this safe room for the monks and nuns to retreat to should Kyogre attacks us directly."

"That was smart of her," said Nauki. "Say, is this war really bad?"

"Bad? What do you mean by bad?" Olakino asked.

"I mean, is Ikaika gonna be able to come home anytime soon?"

Olakino sighed. "That, my boy, is a question you will have to ask the Lady Ikaika yourself. I am merely a healer. Ah, here is my rawst paste." The torkoal pulled out a glass jar of powder blue goop from the cabinet. He approached Nauki, dabbed some of the paste on his foot, and spread it gently on the burn. Nauki sighed at the cooling sensation. It felt like fresh snow on his injury.

Olakino chuckled. "Yes, the rawst paste is a favorite of my patients."

"Well, I can see why," Nauki agreed.

When Olakino finished with the paste and applied a bandage, he said, "Now come. It is not fitting for us to stray here too long."

The torkoal started up the stairs when Nauki asked, "Hey, Olakino. Why is Groudon's chamber sealed off?"

He was surprised when Olakino took on a sad expression. "That is the Lady Ikaika's doing. Before her arrival, the monks and nuns of the monastery were free to visit the Earthshaker whenever they pleased to pray to him directly. Only a few days after she came and proved herself to be Lord Groudon, she sealed the chamber using her powers and forbade anyone from entering but herself."

"But why?"

"Her reasons remain unknown to me. Perhaps it was Lord Groudon's wish, or perhaps she saw some other reason to keep us separated. However, it is not all bad. Now we may pray to Lord Groudon's awakened form directly instead of to his hibernating body. Of course," Olakino chuckled, "it is a bit awkward to pray before the Lady Ikaika for several hours at a time."

Nauki laughed. "Yeah, she'd probably get bored and fly off somewhere."

The doctor huffed with laughter. "We are lucky Abbot Kahuna isn't here, aren't we? He would have our heads for this. Now come, my boy, come. We mustn't dawdle any longer."

Nauki agreed and followed. _I should find Nalo and tell her what's going on. She'll want to know._

* * *

"She wants to be his legendling after all that?"

Those were Nalo's first words after Nauki explained the situation. "Maybe. Or he could be forcing her," he suggested.

"Doesn't seem likely," Nalo replied. "Have you been thinking about Saital Sandshrew?"

"Yeah, that chess game was weird. She's weird," said Nauki. "You know something, don't you?"

"I have an idea. Do you?"

"Yes! Maybe. I think," Nauki replied sheepishly.

A determined look appeared on Nalo's face. "Good. We'll corner her after dinner."

Nauki frowned. "Do we have to corner her? We could just ask her politely. Maybe she'll be honest."

"You were at the chess game. She won't be honest, but I still have to know," said Nalo. "After dinner, okay?"

"Fine, if we have to."

* * *

Dinner passed uneventfully. It was a solemn occasion with Ikaika's seat empty. The monks and nuns ate quietly, only taking up conversation with their immediate neighbors. _Maybe this is what things were like before Ikaika came. I wonder if Kahuna got the big chair. Or maybe Olakino. He is a really nice guy. I hope I get to talk to him again._

Nalo tapped him on the shoulder.

"Present!"

His squeal brought the dining hall to silence, and every head turned in his direction. _Oh, shoot._ Nauki was tempted to see if it was possible to melt into the floor and vanish forever.

Nalo, of course, either didn't notice his embarrassment or didn't care to apologize. As soon as the attention was off them, she whispered, "Third from the left end."

Nauki looked where she had indicated to see Saital sitting there. She was smiling and engaged in conversation with a handsome riolu about Nalo's age. "We tail her?"

"Right."

As soon as dinner was over and most of the monks and nuns had dispersed, Nauki and Nalo started their mission of following Saital. She, for some reason, headed through the library and to Ikaika's training room purposefulness. Nauki was proud of their discreteness. They hadn't been seen once, though they'd had to make some quick rolls behind rocks or duck behind a passing monk several times. He felt like a secret agent. _I wonder what she's doing here,_ he thought.

Saital went to the farthest, quietest corner of the training room, turned around, and called out, "Do you take me for an idiot?"

Nauki's breath caught in his throat. He and Nalo were hidden behind a rock, but Saital might have seen them.

When they didn't come out, Saital continued, "I know you're following me. Come out, and we can talk. No one'll hear us here."

Nalo sighed, "She got us," and emerged from their hiding spot. "How did you know?"

"I'm observant… and a smarty-pants. I caught on five seconds in," shrugged Saital.

"Five seconds?" Nauki wailed. "I thought we were being super discreet."

"Oh, you were adequate. Bravo!" She clapped and flashed them a smile. "Let's get down to business, then. Why're you following me?"

"We want to know who you are," Nalo demanded.

 _Right to the point as usual,_ thought Nauki.

Saital feigned confusion. "You don't know? I'm Sister Saital Sandshrew, Groutian nun of Chimney Monastery. Who're you?"

"No turning the tables. We want to know who you _really_ are," Nalo said.

Nauki jumped in. "We've both heard the story. You're familiar with the Dragons of Empathy, right?"

"Who isn't? It's common Hoenn lore." If Saital was nervous, she didn't show it.

"Well, part of the story was the dragons could change how they looked. It worked out great, except for the fact that they couldn't change their colors," Nauki continued. "Aren't shiny sandshrews green?"

"It's more of a genetic mutation. Only runs in my family line, actually. It feels better if I call myself a shiny," explained Saital.

"Yeah, your family line. By that, do you mean you, Latios, and your father the Kaulike Legendary?" said Nauki. "Is that your family, Saital? Or should I call you Latias?"

"Also, your name is Latias spelled backwards," Nalo added. She and Nauki high-fived.

Saital was silent for what seemed like hours and then groaned. "Okay, you caught me. I'm Latias. Nice to meet you!"

Though Nauki had suspected as much since meeting her, he couldn't help but feel startled. Here she was, a story come to life right before him. It was like seeing Groudon all over again. "Hi Latias," was all he could say.

"Just don't announce it to the world, okay? I'm incognito," said Latias. "Like a spy, but cooler."

"Shouldn't Groudon have noticed you by now?" Nalo asked.

Latias shook her head. "Legendaries can recognize each other in legendling bodies, but when my brother and I change our looks, we're unrecognizable. Groudon knows about me, but I'm lucky he's never met me. It was hard getting in here. He was suspicious, alright, but Ikaika decided to trust me."

"So, what's a Dragon of Empathy doing going undercover in a Groutian monastery?" inquired Nauki.

Latias looked nervous. "Look, I'll tell you everything under two conditions. One: you tell _no one_ about me, and two: you wait until tonight. It isn't safe to talk about the really in-depth stuff with so many pokémon around, but we can sneak around at night."

"Where will we meet?" asked Nalo.

"Notice that pile of rocks in your room?" Nauki nodded. "Shift those, and it leads to a secret tunnel. I discovered it. I'll meet you in your room, and we can take it to a secret spot where it's safe to talk. With Ikaika incapacitated, this is our only chance."

"Don't talk about Ikaika's pain like it's a good thing," Nauki growled.

Latias looked startled by his sudden anger. "Sorry, sorry. I'll see you tonight, okay?" She pushed past them with surprising strength and was gone before any arguments could be made.

* * *

Nauki and Nalo waited up until midnight for Latias. "She's not coming," the mudkip would mutter over and over again. "She's definitely not coming."

"Don't worry. She'll come," Nauki responded, but even he was having his doubts. The legendary had promised to come once night fell, but surely she didn't expect them to wait all night.

When the clock struck midnight, their fears were assuaged. Latias entered, her red cloak absent. "Hey hey."

"Well isn't somebody late," Nalo growled.

Latias put her hands up. "I never specified a time. Let's just get this done with before anyone misses me." She approached the boulders, took her stance, and a great purple beam shot from her chest and at the boulders, sending them flying and revealing a black tunnel. Nauki winced at the loud bangs that resulted. He was shocked no one heard and came running.

"Ah, how I've missed dragon pulse," Latias sighed. She turned to the others. "Oh, quit your gawking. Let's move."

The tunnel was pitch black. Nauki had to feel his way through, often tripping over stones and bumping into walls that came from nowhere. _I'm gonna have bruises all over by tomorrow,_ he thought dejectedly. Nalo seemed even worse off, grumbling every time she tripped on a stone.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever until finally Latias announced, "Here we are!" and led them into a small room. A pool of magma provided a dim, reddish light that would be perfect for telling scary stories about Deoxys. In the dim light, Nauki could see several things scattered around the room. There was a sparkling droplet of some unknown liquid in a jar, a few artifacts he could not even recognize, several books, and a couple of pokémon dolls. He felt Pa'ani lurch just from looking at them.

"Welcome to my secret base!" Latias announced. "I keep all my stuff here in case I ever need it." She picked up a plush pikachu and wiped off the dust. "As you can see, it's been awhile since I've visited."

"I get it. People might get suspicious if you're always popping in and out," said Nauki.

"You're a smart little lad, Nauki. Your friend could learn a thing or two," giggled Latias

"Enough small talk!" Nalo barked. "I'm too curious to wait anymore. Sai- I mean, Latias- tell us what you're doing here."

Latias plopped down. "First, sit and tell me about yourself, Nalo. Why'd you leave Dewford Town?"

Nalo replied, "To learn about the storm in order to stop it."

Latias said, "Well, I'm here for the same reason mostly. I want to stop Groudon and Kyogre's war before they rip Hoenn to shreds. Just imagine the casualties that have already happened and have yet to come. Imagine your homes being destroyed by earthquakes and tidal waves." Latias paused for a moment as her gaze dropped. "It can't go on. They need to go back to sleep.

"That's why I came to Mt. Chimney. I have no idea where Kyogre's stronghold is, so Groudon's was a good start. I'm here to investigate Groudon and see if there's any way to either send him and Kyogre to sleep or just stop their fighting. My progress has been going good, but an unfortunate mess-up has set me back."

"What happened? What did you find?" Nauki asked.

"I found Groudon's special artifact, an item that gives him ancient power. It's called the red orb," explained Latias. "I stole it from Ikaika's room and tried to smuggle it out to a safe place, but I nearly got caught and had to stash it in Fiery Path. That was nearly a year ago, and I still haven't gotten a chance to get it back yet."

"A red orb?" Nauki's brain worked faster than he thought possibly, and he gasped in realization. "I think I picked it up!"

Latias's eyes widened. "You found it? Where? HOW?"

"We were going through Fiery Path, and I just found it on the way. Nalo tried to make me sell it, but I still have it," Nauki told.

"Thank goodness you didn't sell it."

"Yeah, Nalo! Thank goodness," Nauki teased.

"Oh, shut up. I wouldn't have tried if I'd known it was Groudon's artifact," Nalo shot back. "Latias, why smuggle it out? What does it do?"

"Look, a reeeaaally long time ago, Groudon and Kyogre regained possession of their special artifacts: the red orb and the blue orb. Those orbs are a source of unmatchable power for them. By using them, they were able to revert to their primal forms, and their primal power goes unchecked. But that time, they didn't use the orbs on themselves. Somebody else did it for them, so they haven't figured out exactly how to unlock the power of their orbs without help. Unfortunately, their legendlings might crack the code, and if either one of them unlocks it and reverts to primal, Hoenn is finished."

"What, just like that?" Nauki asked.

"Just like that. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre are powerful and stupid enough to wipe Hoenn off the map with their fighting. And after that, Primal Groudon will do away with the seas and land-lock the world, or Primal Kyogre will do away with the land and make it all ocean. Bad, bad, bad."

"Do you think Kyogre's legendling has the blue orb?" Nalo asked.

"I have no idea where the blue orb is, but it's safe to say he probably does. Once you give me the red orb, I'll ask Ikaika for permission to go on some weird pilgrimage or something and get the blue orb. Only when they're safely out of the way can I keep working to stop the war entirely."

"That sounds like a good plan to me," said Nauki. "But where's Latios? Why not send him after the blue orb?"

Latias looked so crestfallen Nauki almost wished he could take the words back. "Latios isn't in Hoenn anymore," she murmured.

"Well, where is he?"

"He went to Kanto. He said he didn't wanna be here when Groudon and Kyogre destroy things for real," she explained. Her eyes were locked on the ground.

"Invite him back," suggested Nalo.

"I can't! We had a big fight before he left. I called him selfish and all sorts of mean things, and he called me stubborn. It was bad," cried Latias. "He's probably still mad at me since he hasn't come back, and I just… I really miss him."

 _Oh Groudon, is she gonna cry? I don't know how to comfort legendaries,_ Nauki panicked. But instead, Latias sniffed and reverted to her normal self.

"So, you two can help me instead!"

Nauki was startled by the sudden offer, but Nalo leaped right in. "How can we help?"

"Is no one gonna ask my opinion on this?" Nauki grumbled.

He nearly had a heart attack when Nalo turned and asked, "Well, do you want to?"

"Oh. Well, um, yeah. The sooner this war ends, the sooner Ikaika can come home and we can have our happy ending."

"Good!" Nalo turned back to Latias. "How do we help?"

"Glad to have you, teammates. First, we need to smuggle the red orb out of here as soon as possible. Groudon might sense its presence and come sniffing. I suggest we keep it here until we have that opportunity," Latias said. "We also need to take the first chance we get to leave and find Kyogre's palace. That way, we can find out whether or not he has the blue orb and see what he's figured out about it."

"Do you think Kyogre's in a monastery like Groudon?" suggested Nauki.

"Could be," Latias shrugged. "We might not get the chance for a while, so we should work on Groudon while we're here. Nauki, you're Ikaika's brother. See if you can find anything else out about Groudon and any potential ways to return him to sleep."

"Um, I don't know. It doesn't feel right investigating my sister behind her back."

"You wanna save Hoenn, don't you?" Latias said. "And bring Ikaika home?"

"Yeah. Okay, I'll try," Nauki sighed.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it. And Nalo, since you're a Kyogre fan, I'm guessing you'd be perfectly willing to betray Groudon if we needed it."

"If it stops the storm, I'll do anything. He's a jerk anyways," said Nalo. "What do you need me to do?"

"There's still a chance Groudon might sense the red orb here and come looking for it. I can get it out in time, but we will need a distraction. If you're willing to attack Groudon and keep him distracted with some water and Kyogre praising, we'll succeed. Of course, we'll have to run and run fast, but that just gives us an opportunity to go look for Kyogre anyways. Up to it?" Latias suggested.

"Won't that hurt Ikaika, though?" Nalo asked.

"Yeah, I don't like that idea," Nauki pitched in.

Latias exhaled deeply. "I know, and I'm sorry about that, but this is really important. On the bright side, if you start chucking water at Groudon, he'll probably get pissed enough to take over, so Ikaika won't feel anything. Good enough?"

"If Nauki says so," Nalo said.

They turned to the trapinch. "Fine, but don't go too hard," he mumbled.

"Agreed. We need a distraction, not a murder," joked Latias. "So remember, if we get a chance to go visit Kyogre, we have to take it. The sooner we stop this war, the sooner Hoenn will be safe, the sooner the storm will end, and the sooner Nauki gets his sister back. It's a win-win-win."

"Right! Let's do this," Nauki agreed.

As the trio was dispersing, a sudden thought came to Nauki. Before he could forget, he said to Latias, "Um, I have a question."

"I have an answer," replied Latias.

"What about the Kaulike Legendary? The stories say it's his job to stop Groudon and Kyogre when they're fighting and make them sleep. Where is he?"

Latias's face darkened to the point where she was nearly unrecognizable. "Oh, right. Daddy ditched his job last time Groudon and Kyogre were up. He got all pissy and started wailing, 'Eh, my job's too hard! I don't like it anymore! Waaah!' He sealed Sky Pillar away from the world and intends to spend the rest of his immortal life napping. We won't get any help from him, nor anyone else."

"But how can the Kaulike just abandon his job?" Nauki gasped.

"I have no idea. I've been banned from Daddy's house for thousands of years, so I can't just walk in and ask him. I heard about that all from Regice. It's completely ridiculous that I have to get word of my dad from some random instead of from him. Is he seriously still mad about all that?" Latias grumbled.

"Regice? Who's that?" Nauki asked.

"She's another legendary, silly. Don't you know the legendary golems? Ask a storyteller for the tale first chance you get," suggested Latias. "Now let's get out of here and go to sleep. Remember to bring the red orb down here and set the boulders back up."

"Oh, of course." Latias patted him on the head and vanished into the tunnel.

Once her footsteps ceased to be audible, Nalo said, "I'm glad we found Latias. My chances of success just grew tenfold."

"And mine," Nauki agreed. He looked around at the artifacts littering the room. "What d'you suppose all this stuff is?"

"Hmm." Nalo bent down to take a closer look at the glittering liquid in the jar. "Special water, perhaps?"

"Well, your guess is as good as mine. We could always ask her," suggested Nauki.

"She wouldn't tell us," Nalo said. She picked up a yellow, rotting book and flipped gently through the pages. "This paper is so weird. It's old, but it feels better than regular paper. And I can't read these letters. They're so straight and fine, see?"

"Yeah, they're really different from footprint runes," Nauki agreed. "Ooh, what's that?" He dashed over to a thin, rectangular object with a button on the bottom. He gave it a press, but the box's face remained black. "It's so weird."

Nalo lifted it up and examined it. "Kind of looks electrical. Think we could find that ampharos monk to power it?"

"No! Latias will know we stole it, and she won't help us," Nauki argued. "We have to focus on the mission."

Nalo sighed. "Okay, you're right. We'll start our jobs tomorrow and see if we can find anyone to tell us about Regice, whoever that is."

Nauki yawned. "Yeah, I'm sleepy. Let's just bring the orb back here and hit the hay."

* * *

Two mornings later, Nauki woke to Nalo poking his face. "Wha're you doing?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Saital was just here. She told me to tell you that Ikaika's feeling better."

Instantaneously, Nauki was awake. "Really? That's great! I have to go see her. Did Saital say where she is?"

Nalo giggled. "Don't get too excited, or you might keel over before you get there. Saital said she was headed for Groudon's chamber."

Nauki was gone before Nalo could even blink. He half-raced, half-tripped down the steps and dashed through the hallways. Several nuns shouted at him to slow down, but nothing could stop him now. He knew his way around the monastery quite well by now, and he arrived at the safe room in time to see his sister lowering the door.

"Ika! You're better!" He had his arms wrapped around her before she could even comprehend what was going on.

"Oh, hey little brother!" she greeted. "I am indeed better."

Nauki pulled away to face her directly. "Olakino said this happens all the time. Is Groudon really making you sick?"

"Oh come on, he's just asking." Nauki knew Ikaika wasn't speaking to him. It always frustrated him to have to wait for his sister to finish chatting with Groudon first. "It's nothing major, Nauki. Just a little headache every now and then, but being Groudon's legendling is well worth that."

"Well, doesn't seem like it," Nauki mumbled.

"Nauki, I'm fine. Look!" She lifted her leg and kicked the earth wall fighting-type style, and it cracked all the way through upon impact. "Could I kick this wall down if I wasn't fine?"

Nauki couldn't think up an argument. "Okay, fine. So, whaddaya wanna do?"

Ikaika frowned. "I'm sorry, but I can't hang out with you right now. I'm going to visit Groudon."

"You don't need to visit him. He's inside you." _Invading you,_ he silently corrected.

"Yeah, but… Oh, you know what I mean. I promise I'll see you later, okay? Hang out with Nalo or Saital. I hear you two became fast friends." Ikaika went through the open entrance and lifted the door, and Nauki felt as though a flower had wilted inside him. Pa'ani scratched at the side of his heart.

On the other side of the wall, Ikaika slid down against the door. "It's so hard," she mumbled.

 _The trapinch is irrelevant to our cause. You are not at fault._

"That doesn't make me feel any better," said Ikaika. She started to make her way to the magma lake. "Was it a mistake, bringing him here?"

 _I believe so,_ said Groudon. _You have been distractible since his arrival. Should the One Who Drowned the World strike along the coast, you must be prepared._

"I am prepared. We've got scouts all over the coast. They'll be fine," Ikaika said.

She felt Groudon's huff of annoyance inside her. _I meant prepared mentally._

Ikaika didn't respond until she arrived at the lake. She couldn't help but smile at the feeling of the magma's warmth wafting around her. Ikaika Flygon loved heat in all shapes and sizes. Whenever she got a chance, she would head out to Mirage Desert and just sunbathe all day, though the opportunity did not come often. Being in Groudon's chamber was a different sort of warmth, and it was her favorite in all the world. Not only did the heat come from the magma, but it also came off of Groudon's mammoth body. "You're so handsome."

 _You say so often. I am beginning to tire of hearing it._ She could feel the legendary shift impatiently.

"Well, I just can't help it." Ikaika approached the lake and lay down on her back so her head dangled over the side. "You're even pretty upside-down."

 _An irrelevant compliment._

"Oh, stop being such a stick-in-the-mud. You're just like Kahuna, much as I love him." When Groudon didn't bother to respond, she continued, "I love you."

Groudon paused for a moment. _Such a feeling is unknown to me. It is an empty word._

"Well, you can try," Ikaika said. "You're like the hero who pulled me out of the dark. I can't really remember what life was like before you came and got me, but I do remember it was miserable."

 _Miserable is an empty word._

"Everyone in my hometown hated me," she continued, her voice becoming more and more saturated with sadness. "Everyone. The kids at school, the town elders, even my own parents. Did I ever tell you they almost stopped me from seeing Nauki?"

There was a fleeting moment of perplexity. _The trapinch lived in Lavaridge Town. He seems to possess a strong regard for you._

Ikaika rolled onto her stomach and rested her head on her arms. "Nauki doesn't count as a Lavaridge pokémon. He was my only friend, and I love him to bits. I just wish he could understand me."

 _As I said, the trapinch is useless to your goal. You are my body and my shield now. You have no need for things such as companionship and love._

"Not necessarily. We're companions, and I love you. You get me," Ikaika said.

 _You are a pokémon of pure power who has broken free from the limitations of moves. Lavaridge Town shackled you. Now you are free to walk the earth as you please,_ Groudon agreed.

"Right!" Ikaika giggled. "It's almost crazy. We're a perfect match. Oh, what I'd give to see you in your own body with your plates cheri red. It'd be so fantastic, and then we could crush the stupid Sea Monster with our feet."

 _In order for a complete awakening, we will need to unlock the power residing in the red orb. It must be recovered as soon as possible._ She could feel the commanding urgency in his voice.

"I know. I haven't had a chance to go looking. Have you sensed it anywhere?" asked Ikaika.

 _Wherever the red orb is, it is not far. We should not have to travel a long distance from Mt. Chimney to find it. If I am to gain a more accurate sense of its location, we will have to search for it directly._

Ikaika shifted into a sitting position, letting her legs dangle over the edge. "We can do that soon. If the Sea Monster stays quiet, I'll organize it. Should we get some of the monks to help out? We have some mightyenas; those guys are good sniffers."

 _If you believe it will help. I should think my senses are enough to obtain the orb._

"It'll be more fun with a team. I'll start asking around." Ikaika got to her feet and made her way to the sofa. She stretched out her wings, lay down, and proclaimed, "I'm gonna take a nap."

 _You wasted two days lazing about in your bedchamber. You haven't time for naps,_ Groudon growled.

"But you'll let me, because you love me." She stretched her legs and got comfortable, sinking slightly into the cushion and slipping into sleep.

 _I am Groudon. I do not love._


	7. Down the Mountain

**Chapter Six: Down the Mountain**

* * *

Investigating Groudon was harder than Nauki had originally thought it would be. Whenever he tried, the majority of the conversations went like this:

"What if Kyogre tried to send Groudon back to sleep? How would he do that, exactly?"

"He can't, silly. I'm way too powerful."

"Okay, but what if he could?"

"Why does it matter?"

"… Never mind."

When Nauki admitted as much to Latias in their secret meeting room, she looked disappointed. "I was sure Ikaika would tell something of use to her own brother, at least."

"I'm sorry. Is there anything else I can do?" Nauki asked.

Latias thought, tapping her foot slightly. "I'm not sure. You know your letters?"

"Of course I do!" Nauki exclaimed. "Well, I'm not that good at it, but I can read."

"Then you can help me out in the library. It's got books from before the Age of Beasts. Should be something," suggested Latias.

Nalo interrupted, "Latias, would you tell me what happened before the Age of Beasts? Where all our towns and cities came from, and how the machines work?"

Latias laughed, as if the question was an amusing joke. "I'm not gonna tell you, silly."

"But you did live through it, right?" Nauki asked.

"Yeah, of course I did. I'm _super_ old. But it's a secret. I'm not allowed to share," explained Latias.

"Not allowed?" Nalo moved forward predatorily. "Who could tell a legendary what to do?"

"It's Daddy's rule. Or, I think it is. It might be someone else's rule that Daddy follows, and Daddy makes sure I follow it." Latias paused. "Actually, since Daddy disowned me, I might not have to anymore. But I'm still gonna, so don't bring it up again because I won't talk."

"Fine, we'll drop it," mumbled Nauki. "Will you at least tell us if it was really cool?"

"Cool? Not the word I'd use. Try… different." Without another word, Latias left the room.

"That's a shame," Nalo said. "I suppose it doesn't matter, though. We should be worried about the present, not the past. Do you agree?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm still curious, but it can wait. I kinda wanna sleep now," Nauki said, his voice laced with sleepiness.

Nalo smiled. "You're adorable when you're tired."

He mumbled, "Shut up, or I'll bite you!"

"With those big teeth of yours, I wouldn't want that," she joked. "Come on, let's get you to bed before you fall asleep on your feet."

* * *

Nalo dove behind a rock just as Kahuna whipped around, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Her entire body was frozen in a moment of time, her lungs completely still. Would she be discovered?

Kahuna turned away.

Nalo sighed. _Phew! Not today._ She came out from behind the rock and inched along the wall, keeping the abbot just in her line of sight.

It was Latias who had asked Nalo to follow Kahuna today. As Nalo stalked the camerupt, she remembered just how the conversation had gone.

Latias had approached her in the library, where Nalo had been reading a chess book. "I need you to tail Kahuna today," she whispered.

"Why?" Nalo didn't look up from the book.

"I'm not certain, but I think he's gonna talk with Ikaika about something important. Can I count on you?" Latias said.

Nalo had closed the book and tucked it back on the shelf. "Sure."

Now, Kahuna was nearly at the emergency room. She wasn't entirely sure why the abbot would meet Ikaika here instead of in her own room, but she had heard rumors about the legendling forbidding anyone from entering her bedroom. Nalo followed Kahuna through the door and ducked behind a wall as the camerupt descended the steps and met with Ikaika.

"Hi, Kahuna!" she greeted.

Kahuna bowed quickly. "Greetings, My Lady. Why have you summoned me today?"

"It's about the orb," admitted Ikaika. "Any luck?"

Kahuna tensed as if he were expecting a scolding. "Not yet, I'm afraid. If you wish it, I will send a search party to investigate the nearby area beyond the monastery. We can check Jagged Pass and Fiery Path."

"No, not now. If we're gonna search outside, I'll come too," said Ikaika. "Any word on the other thing?"

"Yes. We received word from Kiu Taillow, who is currently positioned in Dewford Town. He is certain that the enemy is in possession of the blue orb."

Nalo thought, _Latias will be glad to hear that!_

"And does Kiu know where the Sea Monster and his legendling are?" Ikaika asked.

"Kiu claims he does, but he demands an even greater price for the information. He demands the red orb," said Kahuna.

"No." Nalo was surprised by the forcefulness of Ikaika's voice. "I won't give that up. Tell Kiu he can take his information and-"

"My Lady," interrupted Kahuna, "I must ask you to refrain from using such vile language in the monastery."

Ikaika giggled. "My bad. Just tell Kiu I'm not interested. I'll find it myself just fine. Actually…" She paused for such a long while Nalo started to wonder if she would ever continue. "… Groudon has a better idea. A great idea, actually! Gosh, you're so smart."

If Groudon was flattered, it didn't show. "Anyway, Kahuna, I'll take care of finding the Sea Monster. Then, we can organize a search party for the red orb, 'kay?"

Kahuna bowed again. "Of course, My Lady. Might I ask what your plan is?"

"I'll tell you later. And one more thing. Can you ask someone to send Nauki and Nalo my way? I'll be in my room," Ikaika requested.

"I am happy to oblige." Kahuna turned and started for the stairs. Nalo took that as her cue to go.

* * *

"I can't believe it!" Latias screeched. She made a flying leap off Nauki's bed. The legendary attempted to land on her feet but ended up on her back, though she didn't seem to mind much. "If I ever find this Kiu Taillow guy, I'm gonna kiss him."

"Eugh, really?" Nauki asked.

"No," said Latias. "Let's meet up in the _place_ tonight. We can discuss what to do next."

"Sure thing," agreed Nauki.

It was then that a kirlia nun entered the room. "Nauki Trapinch and Nalo Mudkip, the Lady Ikaika requests your audience in her bedroom."

"Oh, we're coming," said Nauki. "We'll see you later, Saital." He and Nalo followed the kirlia down the steps and to Ikaika's room. Nauki knew the way well by now, but he didn't want to offend the kirlia or anything. Upon arrival, the kirlia knocked, and the door lowered. Nauki and Nalo entered, the door closing behind them.

"Hi guys," Ikaika greeted. She was sprawled out on the carpet, surrounded by throw pillows as usual. "Thanks for coming."

"Oh, it's no trouble," said Nauki. He and Nalo took seats in front of her. "What's up?"

"I was hoping we could hang out, Nauki, but before that, I need a word with your friend," explained Ikaika. "Nalo, would you be interested in a super secret mission directly from Groudon?"

Nalo tried to remain neutral, but she could not hide the interest in her eyes. "What sort of secret mission?"

"As you know, I'm at war with the Sea Monster. He and his legendling have a stronghold somewhere in East Hoenn. If I can find that stronghold and take it out directly, the war would be as good as won. Of course, the issue is finding it," said Ikaika. "Lucky for me, you're a water-type. If someone sees you nosing around East Hoenn, they wouldn't think twice about it. So my mission for you is to find the Sea Monster's palace and infiltrate it. Find out how many pokémon are there, what he knows, his future plans, et cetera. Up for it?"

 _Score! This is exactly the sort of thing we needed,_ Nalo thought. _But… what about Nauki?_

Before she could respond, Nauki interrupted. "If Nalo's going, I wanna go too."

Ikaika shook her head. "Absolutely not. I'm not just gonna let you run off into Sea Monster territory. No Kyogran would tolerate you there."

"Well, Nalo's been in Groutian Hoenn, and she's perfectly fine. I can help, and then we'll come straight back," Nauki explained. "Then you can win the war, and we can all go home."

Ikaika frowned, but she made no response to Nauki and turned to the mudkip instead. "Nalo, if I'm gonna let you take my baby brother, you have to swear on your life you will keep him safe. Got it?" Her eyes seemed to flicker red for a second.

"I promise," Nalo said.

Ikaika held her glare for a few moments before relenting. "Good. Kahuna will help you with supplies, and you can leave-"

"Whoa, whoa. I didn't say I'd go yet. I have one more condition," Nalo interrupted.

Nauki wondered for a second if Ikaika was going to strangle the mudkip then and there. "And that is?"

"I wanna bring Saital Sandshrew with me."

"If she agrees, then fine. But you have to guarantee her safety as well."

Nalo nearly started laughing. "Oh, I don't think she needs me to protect her, but if you insist, I promise."

"Alright. Unless you wanted to ask for ownership of Mt. Chimney as well, I think we're done here. Kahuna will help you with supplies. You can leave tomorrow morning. I'll see you out," said Ikaika.

"Thank you very much. I'll go find him. You two enjoy each other!" Nalo practically skipped out of the room.

"So," Ikaika said a bit sadly, "you're leaving already?"

"Come on, don't be like that. It's not like I'm trying to ditch you or anything. I just really want to help with this mission. The faster Kyogre is taken out, the faster you can come home, and we can have our happy ending."

The instant he noted Ikaika's reaction, Nauki grew frustrated. Instead of looking agreeable or glad, she only looked uncomfortable. _Isn't she happy about being done with this and coming home?_

"Of course," Ikaika said. "And you'll be okay out there? You know what water does to ground-types."

"I'm stronger than I used to be. Nalo and I took on five criminals by ourselves and won. Plus, Saital will be with us, and she seems… capable."

Ikaika sighed. "Okay. I'm sorry, I'm just a worrier. So, why don't you show me how the song is coming along?"

* * *

The next morning, Nauki and Nalo met Latias at the main exit of the monastery. After they had informed her of the mission, the legendary had been close to bursting with excitement. Her bag was bulging with all the treasures she'd taken out of the secret room, the red orb stuffed at the bottom to conceal its faint glow.

"You guys ready for this?" Latias asked as they arrived.

"It'll be good to be on the move again!" Nalo agreed.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see more of Hoenn. I wanna go to an island!" Nauki chimed in.

Their conversation faded as Ikaika approached. She didn't look particularly happy, but something about her demeanor told Nauki she wasn't completely dejected about the situation. He tried not to feel offended. "So, are you three all ready?"

"We're all set," said Nalo.

"Okay. Remember, Nalo, you're completely responsible for everyone's safety. If either of them get hurt…"

"I get it. You'll burn me alive or something," Nalo said. "May we be on our way?"

"Of course." Ikaika placed her hand upon the omega engraving, and the door slid open. Nalo stepped out without so much as a goodbye.

"She's… just eager," Latias excused. "Thanks for letting me go, Lady Ikaika. I promise we won't fail!"

"I know it, Saital," Ikaika laughed. With a last hasty bow, Saital skipped out.

Ikaika turned to Nauki, and before he knew it, he was being crushed in a great, warm hug. "Stay safe, okay?"

"I will, I promise. And if I don't, you can always burn Nalo alive," Nauki joked.

Ikaika pulled away. "Be careful in Kyogran Hoenn. Always stick to the routes, and don't tell _anyone_ you're my brother."

"Okay, I'll go anonymous. Got it."

Ikaika fished in her head for more to say but came up empty handed. "Alright, your friends are waiting for you."

Nauki made his way through the door. "See you soon!"

"Bye! Oh wait, I just remembered something!" Nauki stopped to listen. "If you need to get a message to me, I've got a network of spies all over Hoenn. Just go up to a potential Groutian and say, 'What is asleep has need to rise.' If they don't act completely confused, give them the message."

"'What is asleep has need to rise.' Got it," Nauki nodded.

"Okay, now get out of here," Ikaika said with a giggle. She shifted her foot, and the earthen door rose up, concealing Chimney Monastery once again.

As Nauki made his way over to where Nalo and Latias were waiting, he could not help but feel sad. After 1,425 days, he had finally reunited with his beloved sister. Was he making a mistake by willingly walking away from her? He tried to ignore Pa'ani clawing at the walls of his heart.

"Shall we?" Nalo asked, her tail swaying. He had never seen her more upbeat.

"We shall," Nauki responded. The trio made their way past the monastery entrance and towards the cable car station.

"Say, Latias, couldn't you just fly us down the mountain. Can't you fly as fast as jet winds?" Nauki suggested.

"Well, I could. I certainly could. But then Groudon would notice me, connect the dots, and come eat our faces," Latias explained lightheartedly.

"Well, we best avoid that."

"Good plan."

They entered the station and met with the ampharos, who was not so sleepy this time around. "Welcome! One trip down?"

"That's right." Nalo handed him the required payment.

"Ah yes. Your change is four dalas." The ampharos fished through the bag on his hip and pulled out for pink coins, handing them to Nalo. "You can board right away."

"Thank you!" Latias squeaked. The three pokémon entered the cable car, and their descent began.

This time, Nauki remembered not to look out the windows, should a sudden case of acrophobia seize him. While Latias pointed out several landmarks to Nalo ("Latios tripped over a rock over by that tree during the Footprint Age! He looked so dumb."), Nauki started to reminisce. _Coming down this cable car was one of the first adventures Nalo and I had. She was still pretty mean to me back then, not that she isn't now. But… so much has changed._ He only needed to look at the legendary excitedly pointing out a muffin-shaped cloud to prove it.

"Latias, I hate to interrupt you," Nalo said, "but we should probably take this time to think up a plan."

"Oh, right," said Latias. She turned around and sat down. "So, once we get down, we should make our way to the coast."

"I think the closest way is through Mauville to Slateport, right?" said Nauki.

"Yup. Then we can take Routes 109, 108, and 107 to Dewford."

Nalo was so shocked she nearly choked on air. "Wh-what the-? Why are we going to Dewford?"

Latias cocked her head. "Because that's where Kiu Taillow is, dummy. If he really has an idea of where Kyogre's stronghold is, talking to him is an essential first step."

"I'm not going to Dewford," Nalo stated.

"Why? I like Dewford."

"I'm just not. We can look around in Pacifidlog instead."

"But Kiu's in _Dewford_!"

"Um, Nalo?" Nauki interrupted. "This wouldn't have anything to do with your family, would it?"

"Well, of course it does, you idiot," Nalo barked. When Nauki winced, she placed a paw on her forehead. "No, I'm sorry. I'm being ridiculous. We should go to Dewford."

Latias looked hopelessly confused, but she continued. "Um, okay… So once we get the information from Kiu, we can make a new plan. I'm guessing it'll take us far into East Hoenn. Kiu said Kyogre's legendling has the blue orb, right?"

"Yes. We don't know how reliable his information is, but it's the only lead we have," Nalo explained.

Nauki wondered, "Now that that's taken care of, shouldn't we figure out exactly what to do with the ancient, all-powerful relic of Groudon sitting at the bottom of a backpack?"

"Oh, yeah!" Latias dove into her bag and pulled out the red orb. It was about the size of a baseball, and Nauki noticed an omega symbol carved into the ruby shell. Latias started to toss it back and forth between her paws. "Any ideas?"

Nalo immediately grabbed the orb. "We should start with not tossing it around like a sports ball." She opened her mouth to say more, but a sudden _hsssssss_ filled the air, and Nalo dropped the orb and yelped. "Ouch! That thing is burning!"

"Hm? Oh, I forgot to tell you. Kyograns can't touch the red orb. It's a thing with legendary artifacts. Only those in the legendary's favor can touch their artifact," Latias explained. "It's like a defense mechanism."

"You could've told me that before it tried to melt my paws," Nalo grumbled, coating her reddened skin in icy water.

"Sorry, my bad," Latias apologized. "Well, there are a couple safe places I know where we could keep it, but they're really out of the way."

"Could we put it on a mirage island?" Nalo suggested.

Nauki cocked his head. "A mirage island?"

"They're islands that are only visible a fraction of the time because of the sunlight reflecting on the water," Latias explained. "Kinda like how I can change my appearance because of the sunlight refracting off my fur."

"That's so weird. It's like desert mirages," Nauki said. "But what if we need the orb, and the island disappears?"

"Good point. Okay, bad suggestion," said Nalo. "I guess the safest place to keep the orb is with us, then. There are most likely plenty of pokémon who would love to get their paws on that thing. With our combined strength, we can keep it safe."

"I think you mean with _my_ strength, with you two helping a little," Latias said half-jokingly.

"That's… probably true," Nauki admitted. A pecha berry immediately hit him on the head, no doubt courtesy of Nalo.

* * *

Nauki was glad to be in Slateport again. He'd made so many good memories here, and despite growing up in a ravine with no water in sight, he did love the ocean. How something could be so _big_ , he couldn't even fathom. It was wonderful.

As the trio entered the city from the north, Latias announced, "Well, we're officially in Kyogran territory now, so a change in appearance might be best."

"What do you have in mind? A sharpedo? Or a milotic? Or a wailord?" Nauki wondered.

Latias squeaked, "Even better!" Her body lit up in blinding white light and began to shift and change. However, it didn't elongate into a milotic or sprout the fearsome teeth of a sharpedo. When the light died, Nauki saw that Latias had become…

"A spheal? Are you kidding me?" Nalo deadpanned.

Latias rolled around as if to test out her new shape. "Tada! From now on, I am Saital Spheal! Yay for alliteration!"

"I don't know what I was expecting," Nalo mumbled as she walked away.

"Aww, come on! I'm ADORABLE!" Latias squealed and rolled after her.

Nauki laughed and skipped along after them, but as they made their way into the city, he noticed something was different. The streets were filled with streamers, banners, and decorations of water droplets and ocean waves. The streets were covered in saltwater, fossilized corals, and seashells, and Nauki wasn't certain the flood was from the rain currently coming down. Water-type kids were running through the streets in glee, and adults in dark blue cloaks with alpha symbols on the backs were praying in circles.

Nauki caught up to his companions. "Uh, guys, is there a holiday or something?"

Nalo looked around. "Oh, I didn't even remember. Today is the first day of Ko'iho'i."

Nauki cocked his head. "Ko'iho'i?"

"Oh, I love that holiday! It's so much fun!" Latias exclaimed.

Nalo explained, "Ko'iho'i is a Kyogran holiday celebrating Kyogre's first awakening and near-conquering of the world. It lasts for ten days, and today's the first. Hey, wanna go to the beach? We might be able to catch some Drownings."

"But why celebrate it if Kyogre ended up going to bed again?" Nauki wondered.

"You could say the same for your Groutian holiday. You celebrate Groudon's rise, but he goes to bed at the end," Latias argued. "Man, I remember one year, Latios dared me to get Drowned. That was nuts."

Nalo looked shocked. "A religious ritual as sacred as the Drowning, and you participated… as a dare?"

"Jirachi yelled at me afterwards," Latias whimpered.

Nalo shook her head and said, "Let's just get to the beach."

The trio made their way through Slateport, and the further they went, the more festive the city became. Dancers were swaying through the streets in seaweed skirts, preteens were marching about clapping seashells, and cooks were passing out authentic East Hoenn platters. The glares Nauki was receiving weren't exactly uplifting, but it was hard to be upset around so many happy pokémon.

 _It is a lot like Makalahai. Only it's just ten days, not a whole month._

When they arrived at the beach, Nalo said, "Ooh, a Drowning is about to take place! Come on." They hurried over to the surf, where several priests were surrounding an adolescent zigzagoon and murmuring a prayer.

A gyarados in a blue, alpha-marked cloak who seemed to the head priest, shouted, "Great Drowned God, hear mine prayer! We humbly offer this young vessel to you! Should he be worthy of your drowned court, bring him back to the land of the living! All life began in the sea…"

"…And to the sea all life must return," the other priests finished.

The zigzagoon looked anxious, but she made no move. The gyarados and the zigzagoon moved into the surf, and before Nauki could even comprehend what was going on, the gyarados grabbed the teenager and shoved her under the water.

"What the…? We have to help!" Nauki gasped, but Nalo held him back. "What're they doing?"

"Don't interfere. This is an ancient Kyogran tradition. She'll be fine." Nauki was still uncertain, but he took Nalo's word.

After several minutes, bubbles stopped rising from the zigzagoon's mouth. The gyarados pulled her out of the water and placed her gently on the sand, where a machoke priestess immediately started pumping her stomach.

"Will she be okay?" Nauki whimpered. Latias and Nalo were silent.

Then, miraculously, the zigzagoon coughed up a mouthful of water and sprung up. She was shaking, but a smile graced her face. The gyarados shouted, "The Great Kyogre has returned her to us!" A seaking placed a blue cloak on her back, and the gyarados continued, "Welcome to the Drowned Court, Priestess Pomaika'i! All life began in the sea…"

"… And to the sea all life must return," Pomaika'i Zigzagoon finished. She looked absolutely elated.

As the trio walked away, Nalo said, "I always liked watching Drownings. The things people do for religion."

"That was bizarre. I've never seen anything like it. Are all Kyograns this nuts?" Nauki asked jokingly.

"Hey, Groutians have their weird stuff too. I find Drownings really elegant, actually," said Latias.

"Nothing more elegant than drowning yourself," Nalo teased. "So, shall we take a few days off in Slateport? Join the festivities?"

Nauki stopped. "What are you talking about? Why would we take a few days off?"

Nalo grasped for words for a moment. "Nothing like taking a well-deserved rest."

"More like an unnecessary one," added Latias.

"Well, your heart is twice as large as it should be. Of course _you_ don't need rest."

"Nalo, this is dumb. Getting to Dewford will take a few days. We can't afford to waste time," said Nauki.

Nalo sighed. "Fine. We can leave tomorrow morning." She walked away, leaving no room for argument.

* * *

Nauki hardly understood what was going on. Nalo had purchased an inn room out of her own pocket, but she didn't say a word when he grabbed a costly bluk berry from the fruit bowl to tease her. As soon as they walked into the room, she claimed the largest bed and vanished under the covers.

Latias glanced around awkwardly and said, "I'm, uh, gonna go fly around a little," And transformed into a red and white togekiss. After shooting Nauki a look that read _you ask her_ , she threw open the window a bit too forcefully and took off.

Nauki snorted. "So much for the Dragon of Empathy." Nalo made no response.

Nauki decided it was time to approach. "Hey, um, are you okay?"

"You know whether or not I'm okay," Nalo hissed, but Nauki remained strong.

"Okay, bad question, I know. But hey, Dewford probably won't be that bad."

Nalo's head shot out of the covers, glaring daggers at the trapinch. "'Probably won't be that bad'? Are you kidding me, Nauki?"

 _Stay strong._ "Well, if it makes you feel better, we can totally avoid your house and stuff. We can just find Kiu and bring him out to the edge of town to question him and stuff."

Nauki wished he knew what to say, for Nalo only seemed to grow more and more infuriated. "You think that'll help? You really are an idiot." She chucked a pillow at his head, the old forcefulness present once again. "You think it's that easy for me to just waltz back into the home I abandoned? You think it'll be that easy to see my family again?"

"I know it won't be easy, but-"

"SHUT UP!" Finally, Nauki's voice failed, and he took a step back. "It's freaking Ko'iho'i for Kyogre's sake! What if…"

Nauki stepped forward again, though cautiously. "What if what?"

Nalo met his eye and vanished under the covers again. "W-what if they're happier w-without me?"

Nauki had no words. Never in his life had he heard Nalo's voice so broken, so unsure. If there was one thing he knew about Nalo, it was her certainty in everything. But now…

"I was always the one causing problems in my family. I'm an absolute jerk. I don't think a week went by when my mom and I weren't arguing about something completely stupid, and I would always say the wrong thing around my brothers. Always. I-I haven't been back to Dewford since I left, because if I go back and see my family, I might find they don't w-want me."

Nauki flew forward and yanked the covers off the bed, startling Nalo. "That's complete rubbish!"

Nalo narrowed her eyes. "How would yo-"

"You think I haven't been in this exact situation? Have you not been paying attention the entire time we've been together?" Nauki yelled. "You think Ikaika was the perfect sister all the time? Of course she wasn't! She and my parents fought practically every night when she wasn't sleeping in the secret hideout, and there were definitely times she could've been a better sister to me. You think I love her any less? Maybe you're a failure as a people person, and maybe you stirred up trouble in your family, but if you think for one second that they would rather have you gone, you are mistaken, Nalo Mudkip. Mistaken."

The room fell silent. Nalo's jaw had dropped. Never had she expected such forcefulness from her amiable trapinch companion towards her. "I-I…"

"Your family would have missed you more than anything in the world, but you took that chance away from them. You took away their memories. You can't expect them to miss you if they can't even remember you, and that's your own fault," Nauki continued, quieter this time. "But maybe if you give them back and actually talk things out with them instead of just ditching, you'd be in a much better situation than you are now."

Nalo said nothing, only stared at him. Knowing his work was done, Nauki grabbed his waaliona and left the room.

Nauki loved sunsets. Admiring them in Lavaridge was difficult, considering the town was the furthest one could get from the sky in Hoenn. But here in Slateport, where the sky was sprawled out in all directions, framed only by the dark blue sea, sunsets were like a mural as great as the world itself. The deep blood oranges hugging the cherry red sun, the rosy pinks around it, and the light violet leading the night forward. A few stars were just beginning to flicker, braving the remaining daylight, but for now, the fantastical colors of sunset would dominate the sky.

Nauki jotted down the next few notes on the wrinkled sheet music beside him. He had been up on the roof of a random civilian's household since that start of dusk, and now the sun was nearly set. He had spent the remainder of the blue day walking around the streets, but a group of aggressive Kyogran teenagers had chased him up onto the roof. Unwilling to follow him up, they let Nauki alone, and he had been there since. At first, the experience had been frightening, but as soon as the sunset arrived to compliment the gorgeous, golden sea, the drive to write music had taken over his fright completely, and here he was.

Nauki tuned his waaliona quickly and played what he had again. So far, he only had half a minute of a song, but it was soothing and beautiful, a liquid sunset. He paused. "Maybe I should add some minor notes for contrast," he wondered aloud, chewing slightly on the waaliona's bow.

"Nauki!"

"Present!" His sheet music went flying as he sprang up, and he had to scramble to catch his new song before it fluttered off the roof. Once he organized himself, he turned to see Nalo climbing up, the stone around her neck glittering in the golden light. "Oh, um… Hi."

Nalo walked over to him and sat down. "Do you know what this is?" She showed him the pendant, gazing up at the sky instead of meeting his eye.

"Um, no. Is it special? I thought it was just a trinket or something," admitted Nauki.

Nalo grabbed hold of a paper ball and tossed it at his head halfheartedly. "This is an everstone. When worn, it prevents evolution."

"Prevents evolution?" gasped Nauki. "I didn't know something like that existed."

"They're a bit rare, but I managed to find one from a Sinnohn merchant in Rustboro City," Nalo explained.

"Um, what's Sinnoh? Another region?" Nauki asked.

Nalo nodded. "There are three I know of. Kanto, Johto, and Sinnoh. But I heard once that there are six."

"Kanto food is good," Nauki stated. "So, why do you have an everstone?"

"Mudkips are supposed to evolve when they become preteens," explained Nalo. "I realized when I left that I would have to come back a different pokémon. I didn't want to change and come back to my family a stranger, so I started wearing this everstone. That way, I can come home the same pokémon I was when I left."

Nauki cocked his head. "I don't think your appearance really matters. I mean, whether or not you wear that everstone, you're gonna change. Maybe you should take it off. It won't make a difference."

Nalo fondled the stone for a bit. "I guess you're right. I doubt your relationship with your sister would be any better if she was still a vibrava."

Nauki blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Nalo ignored the question and dropped the everstone, letting the leather rope support its weight once again. "… I think I'll keep it for now. Just in case. Besides, marshtomps are incredibly ugly. Maybe if I wait long enough, I can skip it and just evolve straight to a swampert," she joked.

Nauki gasped. "You can do that?"

Nalo felt around for something to toss at the trapinch, but the only thing available was a delicate string instrument she wasn't quite ready to destroy. "I'm sorry for being such a mess today. I'll go to Dewford."

"You know, if you really don't want to, you can always wait somewhere while Latias and I go. We can talk to Kiu Taillow and bring his word back," offered Nauki.

Nalo shook her head. "Definitely not. You're both too nice to be persuasive; you'd make a mess of it." She got to her paws. "Let's find the imbecile and get to bed. We're getting up bright and early for the coming trip."

With a smile, Nauki said, "Okay," and grabbed his waaliona to head down.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Welcome back, everyone! First off, my apologies for waiting so long to post a new chapter. I don't even have a good excuse- I've just been chilling. XD I was working on another book for a while, and now that I'm coming back to my pokemon series, I'll start posting chapters again. Since all of them are done with editing except one (the one after this, unfortunately), you should expect to see more updates.

The reason I'm writing this AN is to just make a clarification. This book is finished! There's only a little more editing to go, but the story is complete. So rest assured, I won't drop off the face of the earth and leave you all with some ruthless cliffhanger down the line. All I need to do is finish dressing it up for show and tell. So not to worry! Again, for those of you just joining, I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Feel free to leave a review if you're liking it, and if not, that's okay! Use the extra time to give your pets a big hug today. (Unless their frogs. Their skin's too delicate!)

I'm rambling now. See ya next time!


	8. Into the Blue

**Chapter Seven: Into the Blue**

* * *

Nalo exhaled as she let the surf tickle her feet. "It'll be good to be in East Hoenn again. I'm sick of all this land."

"But isn't Dewford technically in West Hoenn?" Nauki asked as he let the coming waves chase him up the beach like a sanderling.

"Yes, but it's a part of East Hoenn. Or Kyogran Hoenn, if you're going for honesty," said Nalo. She turned around. "Are you coming or what?"

"Yeah, gimme a sec!" Latias, once again appearing as a spheal, grabbed the last few seashells in sight and dropped them in her backpack. She then returned to her partners. "Shall we?"

"Yeah. Since I'm the only one who knows surf, I guess I'll have to carry you both. Yay. Or Latias, can you fly alongside us?" Nalo suggested.

Latias shook her head. "Nalo, dear, I think you're missing the obvious solution." Her body lit up in white light, and when it dimmed, a red lapras with a white shell and belly towered over the kids. "Who wants to ride on my baaaack?" she sang.

"But, can you carry us if you don't know surf?" asked Nauki.

"Yeah, sure! Laprases can cart pokémon over water even without surf. They're unique," explained Latias. She waddled down into the surf until she could float with ease. "Hop on!"

"This is much easier," said Nalo she waded through the seawater and clambered onto the rough shell. "Come on, Nauki."

Nauki grimaced at the seawater. As a ground-type, his instincts told him to turn around and find a nice desert to dig a hole in, but now was not the time. He splashed through the water as quickly as he could and clambered on. Without further ado, Latias swam off into the sea.

Nauki would be lying if he said he was enjoying himself. The sea was great to admire from afar, but being a ground-type completely surrounded by seawater went against everything nature had ever intended. He made his way to the top of the shell and clutched Latias's neck. "Is Dewford far?" he whimpered.

"'Fraid so. We've got three routes to travel. It'll be a few days," Latias said.

"A few days?! Are there really no stops?" Nauki whimpered.

"There might be a couple of sand patches to sleep on. Tell you what, Sea Mauville is on the way. We can stop there," suggested Latias.

Nalo cocked her head. "Sea Mauville? What in Kyogre's name is that?"

"Yeah, Mauville's on land."

Latias suddenly looked uncomfortable. "I, uhh… You know what? Never mind. Let's not."

"No, share!" Nauki pleaded, his curiosity piqued and discomfort forgotten.

"Well, it's just a place-thing. Nothing special, really," Latias said hastily. "Actually, I don't think I'm even allowed to take you there."

"It's from before the post common era, isn't it?" Nalo demanded. "Before the Age of Beasts?"

"Well, uh… yeah."

"If we promise not to go nosing around, can we stop there for a night? It will be good to be off the water for a little," asked Nalo.

"Ehh… Fine, but you have to promise me you won't look around."

"Don't worry, we won't," Nalo swore.

Latias looked back on them, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I mean it."

Nalo was taken aback, but Nauki said, "I'll make sure she doesn't go anywhere, don't worry."

Latias stared them down a moment longer, then turned. "Alright, I trust you. It's on Route 108. We'll reach it by tomorrow evening."

They rode on in silence for a while. Nauki suggested some storytelling, but Nalo didn't have any new ones and Latias wasn't sharing, so the idea was dropped quickly. He was tempted to organize his sheet music or play his waaliona, but he didn't dare risk dropping anything in the ocean, so instead he sprawled out on Latias's shell and let his mind wander.

 _It's so weird, being in East Hoenn. And not even the coastal cities, but real East Hoenn. I never thought I'd come here._ He glanced around himself. _Especially not with a Kyogran and a legendary pokémon._ He gazed down into the water, hoping to catch his reflection but coming up disappointed. _I wonder what it's like down there. Water-types are so lucky they get to go on land and see. I'll probably never get to be familiar with the bottom of the sea… But then again, I never thought I'd be in East Hoenn with a Kyogran and a legendary, but here I am._

Nauki stole a glance at Nalo, who was half asleep. _I hope she'll be okay going home. Maybe we'll get lucky and not run into her family. I don't want her to be sad like she was yesterday._ His eyes fell on the everstone around her neck. _I wonder what marshtomps look like. Are they as ugly as she says? I can't wait to evolve myself. I'll be a vibrava, and then Ikaika and I will get to fly anywhere and everywhere, just like she said. Maybe we'll even fly across the sea and go to Kanto and eat Kanto food and see flareons. Or Sinnoh, with all their everstones. Maybe they have good symphonies in Sinnoh, and Ika will take me. Oh, I can't wait for this dumb war to be over so Ika and I can be together again. I'll take her back to Lavaridge and show her all the new people, and we can have a proper family dinner again. Then I'll take her to Lilycove and Ijuu's restaurant. Or we could fly to East Hoenn, and she wouldn't have to worry since she isn't being invaded by Groudon anymore. Say, would Groudon notice if I threw a rock at his real body? Or three? Or ten?_

They rode on like that for a while down Route 109, enjoying the silence. It was nearly dusk when a pelipper flew down to them. "Say, what's a shiny lapras doing with a mudkip and a trapinch on her back?"

"We're going to Dewford Town. Is it far?" Nauki asked.

"By the water routes? Sure is," said the pelipper. "Route 108 and 107 are pretty long. You're in for a big trip." Nauki groaned. "I'm Ka'ao Pelipper. Who're you lot?"

"My name's Nauki Trapinch."

"I'm Saital Lapras. Nice to meet you!"

"Nalo Mudkip."

"Swell names. Unique," Ka'ao nodded. "Say, I'm heading your way. Want a story while I'm here?"

"Oh, yes, yes!" Nauki cheered, nearly leaping right off Latias's shell in his joy.

Ka'ao laughed. "Alright, alright. Careful you don't pull something. What would you like to hear? I've got 'em all."

"Do you know the story about Regice? I'm missing that one," Nauki asked.

"Oh, that's a good one," added Latias.

Ka'ao thought it over. "That's a Groutian story, isn't it? Yeah I know it. Been awhile since I heard it, though, but you know what they say. Old stories are like old friends. You gotta visit 'em from time to time."

"Go on. I've never heard it either," urged Nalo.

So Ka'ao began:

"A long, long time ago, the world was once again at peace. Groudon and Kyogre had returned to their slumber, and their warring no longer plagued the world. The Kaulike Legendary was satisfied with his work and began to roam the skies, beginning his task of making sure the Earthshaker and the Rainbringer did not rise again.

"However, as the Nameless God flew through the skies, he realized something. Though Groudon had lifted up the continents to make the world balanced between earth and sea, the land was in complete disarray. Mountains were coming out of oceans, deserts overlapped jungles, and ravines revealed magma deep below. The land was scattered around the oceans, not clumped together into proper continents. The Kaulike could not risk waking Groudon, so he decided he must seek a different legendary pokémon to organize the land.

"The Nameless God flew up and up, higher than the clouds and the stars themselves, and he sought the help of the greatest and most powerful pokémon to walk the universe. He sought the help of the Creator himself, Arceus. He pleaded with Arceus to bring a legendary pokémon who had the strength and will to organize the world. Arceus heard the Kaulike's plea, and in His kindness, He granted the wish.

"It was Regigigas whom Arceus created. She was a colossal pokémon who made mountains look like foothills, sporting immense muscles and six, multicolored eyes. But though Arceus had made her for the purpose of the Kaulike's request, she was strong-willed and did not partake in the task, but instead began to sport her strength. The Kaulike swooped down to Regigigas and asked, 'Colossal Pokémon, your immense strength and muscle is possessed by no other in this world. I ask of you a dire favor. The continents of this world are in complete disarray. Would you do the honor of organizing them, so the terrestrial pokémon may live happily?'

"Regigigas spoke in an electrical voice. 'Why should I waste mine own strength on a task as tedious as organizing continents, when there are mountains to lift and trees to smash? With the world now inhabited by land as well as sea, I may finally rise. What might you offer me?'

"The One Who Brought Peace responded, 'I will give you complete control of the continents in the Earthshaker's absence. You may do with them as you please and organize them as you will. I will also allow you to seek assistance should you require it.'

"Regigigas said, 'Very well. I shall fulfill your request.' And so, armed with only a braided rope, Regigigas began her task. She wrapped her rope around the continents and pulled them across the world. Even with her immense strength, the task proved difficult, but Regigigas was strong-willed and persisted. She pulled and pulled and pulled, and finally, the earth was organized to her liking.

"However, Regigigas realized quickly that the earth still was not perfect. Though it was now organized into proper continents, it all was mainly dirt. There was no diversity in the ground itself. So Regigigas said, 'Let three pokémon come forward to bring diversity to the earth.'

"Regigigas traveled the earth, concocting ingredients to create three helpers. From the icy waters of the north, she made ice. From hardening and toughening the sands, she created rock. And from melting and cooling the ore, she created metal. With these three pieces, she shaped and refined them until three new pokémon emerged.

"From the ice emerged Regice, with her body of frozen water. From the rock emerged Regirock, with his body of brown stone. And from the metal emerged Registeel, with his body of refined earth. Each sported six eyes and a beeping voice. 'Welcome, my golems,' Regigigas told them. 'Now go across the continents, and bring them diversity. Bring ice, rock, and steel to this world of only earth. And when you are done, reside where you will.'

"'We shall,' said Regice. The three golems trekked across the world, bringing ice, rock, and steel with them. They did not stop until the land had different colors, and one would not only find dirt, but many other things. And when their task was complete, the three golems chose a place where they could live happily and admire their workmanship. They came to Hoenn."

As the story finished, Latias sighed, "I love a good story."

"But I'm confused," Nauki piped up. "Who in Groudon's name is Arceus? I thought I knew all the basic Hoenn legendaries, but Arceus is new."

"Ah, I see you have not been to Lilycove as of late," Ka'ao said. "Is it not a great thing, this age of exploration, in which regions that have never heard of each other may now reach out and exchange culture? You see, in Lilycove City, the popular religion was once Spherism, which worships the Kaulike Legendary alongside Groudon and Kyogre. However, when missionaries from Sinnoh started to arrive in Hoenn, they brought their stories with them, and the Lilycove pokémon have taken a liking to it."

"Sinnoh pokémon don't practice Groutianity, Kyogrism, or Spherism?" Nalo asked. Even Latias seemed interested.

"No, they do not. In fact, I hear the first missionaries had never even heard of our legendaries. Instead, Sinnoh pokémon worship the legendary known as Arceus, the creator of the universe itself."

"The whole universe?" Nalo gasped.

"Indeed," nodded Ka'ao. He then dove into the Legend of Creation, the first tale of the Creation Cycle. When it was done, Nauki and Nalo were awestruck. Never had they heard a story from another region, and never had they heard one quite so queer. Hoenn pokémon rarely thought of things such as the universe, time, space, or matter, preferring to keep their focus on earth, sea, and sky. It was the strangest and perhaps the most thought-provoking tale they'd ever heard.

"That's… that's amazing," Nauki whispered.

"What does Arceus have to do with Groudon, Kyogre, and the Kaulike, though?" asked Nalo.

Ka'ao answered, "Well, you see, Arceus creates all the very powerful legendary pokémon. When He came to this planet, He created Groudon to make the earth and Kyogre to fill the seas. Groudon and Kyogre are children of Arceus."

"What? I don't believe it," gasped Nauki.

"That's super weird," agreed Latias.

"Ah, but it's the truth. And when Groudon and Kyogre started to destroy the world with their fighting, Arceus created the One Who Brought Peace to stop them."

"But didn't the winds from the storm they made create him?" asked Nauki.

"Arceus created him using the winds of the storm," informed Ka'ao. "This wonderful combination of religions is known as Sphere Arceanity. We share all the Arcean beliefs, but we continue to focus our worship on the Kaulike Legendary instead of the Creator and his angels. Of course, it has yet to gain much momentum in Hoenn. Groutians and Kyograns are very deeply rooted in their beliefs, bless them."

"Has Sphere Arceanity been around long?" asked Nalo.

"No, only several years or so, when the first Sinnoh missionaries came alongside the explorers. I'm Hoennian at heart, but someday I should like to journey to Sinnoh to see the land where Arceus reigns. They say His influence spreads all over as Sinnoh pokémon enlighten the world."

"I… I don't know," admitted Nauki. "All this talk of time and space… I think I'd just like to stay Groutian."

Ka'ao nodded. "Of course. I won't force anything on you. But remember to keep an open mind, my boy! That way, you can be ready for any tales that speak to your soul."

"I like this Arceus stuff," said Nalo. "Got anymore Sinnoh tales?"

"I'm afraid not. I only discovered this knowledge a little less than a year ago, so I'm behind on my lore," Ka'ao admitted. He looked up and realized twilight had swept in unnoticed. "Oh, would you look at the time! I really should be hurrying on. It was very nice talking to you lot. Good luck on your travels."

"Thanks for storytelling with us!" called Nauki.

"Yeah, thank you. It was good food for thought," agreed Nalo.

"Buh bye!" said Latias.

* * *

"Boy, this sucks," Latias muttered.

Nauki couldn't agree more. The trio was currently caught in another storm, complete with surging waves, thunderous downpours, and occasional heat flashes. He clutched Latias's long, scaly neck in terror as they rode up a colossal wave, the winds whipping around them. _So much rain. Wherever Ikaika's fighting, I hope she's okay._

"Don't worry! I'm pretty sure Sea Mauville is around here somewhere. We can take shelter there for the night," Latias called. Her voice was nearly carried off by the winds.

"Revert to your normal form and fly us there!" Nalo suggested.

"But I like being a lapras! I'm so cute!" As if to prove it, Latias splashed about with her flippers.

"Cuteness won't do us much good if we all drown!" shouted Nalo.

Latias ignored them and powered on through the storm. Nauki made the mistake of looking up and nearly fainted. A wave large enough to drown Kyogre was towering over them, ready to crash down and devour the pokémon.

"Hold your breath!" Latias shouted. Just as the wave turned on them, she dove down into the depths.

Immediately, Nauki could feel his lungs screaming for air. Evolution had not granted him the ability to hold his breath for long, and his terror did not help much. He scrabbled at Latias's neck, desperate to cling on, lest he lose her and sink into the deep. He was not meant to be here, and Kyogre himself seemed to know it. In his head, he started to sing.

 _A trapinch came down the walk, with big teeth for the bite…_

And then, Latias miraculously broke the surface. Nauki drew in a large, raspy breath, his sides huffing. He turned to check on Nalo, who was clutching her everstone necklace a bit too tightly but otherwise seemed okay.

"Almost there!" Latias left the open ocean of Route 108 behind and swam into an area known as Sharpedo's Teeth. It was a maze of pointed rocks jutting out of the sea, forming an impenetrable labyrinth. Those who tried to swim it were later found impaled, and now Latias was swimming right towards it.

Despite her large body, Latias dodged through the rocks expertly. She turned blind corners without fear and seemed to know whenever there was a rock hidden beneath the waves. "Been here before?" Nalo guessed.

"Well, duh! Otherwise I wouldn't have known about it," replied Latias.

As they went on, the rocks grew larger and more jagged, but they passed without injury, until Latias finally announced, "We're here!" They left the forest of teeth behind and found themselves in a clear patch of sea surrounded on all sides by sharp stone. But Nauki set his eyes upon Sea Mauville.

He had been expecting some sort of a secret, underwater city, but what Nauki saw was much less extravagant. It appeared to be a tiny, steel house floating on the sea, red with rust. Its doors and windows had long been removed, leaving just open entrances. "This is Sea Mauville?"

"A long time ago, you could see a lot more of it, but it's sunk below the waters. Now no one knows about it," Latias explained. She carried them through the open entrance into a small, half-flooded room filled with contraptions Nauki couldn't name.

Latias dragged herself up onto the dry portion of the room, which was slightly tilted towards the black water. "All ashore who's going ashore!" Nauki and Nalo scrambled off her back, and she transformed back into a spheal. "This place'll shelter us from the storm until morning."

"Thank goodness," Nauki sighed. He was soaked to the bone and shivering, but he felt all the better to be out of the torrential rain.

Latias stretched out as much as possible in her rotund body. "Best get to sleep! We'll need our rest for the home stretch tomorrow." She pressed her fins down into her fat, thus appearing as no more than a red and white puffball.

Nauki stretched his enormous jaws in a yawn. "Of course." He bedded down on the icy metal floor, and sleep came to him like a tidal wave.

"Nauki."

The trapinch muttered something incomprehensible and rolled over.

Nalo rolled her eyes. _Kyogre, every time._ She shook him harder this time and whisper-hissed, "Nauki!"

He blinked his eyes open and glared up at her. "Wha? It's still black out!"

"Latias is asleep," explained Nalo. "Let's explore."

Nauki looked aghast. "What? But we promised we wouldn't!"

 _Typical._ "Words are wind. Come on, while she's still asleep," Nalo urged.

Nauki shook his head ferociously. "Nuh uh, no way. I'm not getting in trouble with a legendary pokémon."

"It's just what she's called. It doesn't mean she's actually going to kill us if she finds out. Come oooooon," Nalo said, continuing to prod his shoulder.

Nauki looked uncertain, but it was better than stubborn. "Are you sure about this?"

"Have I ever not been sure?"

Nauki sighed and got to his feet. "Fine."

"Great!" Nalo skipped over to the water, trying to hide the pleased grin on her face.

Nauki joined her at the edge of the black water. "Um, I'm not sure if you remember or not, but I don't have gills."

 _Of course I remember!_ "We can use dive," Nalo explained.

Nauki cocked his head. "Dive?"

Nalo face-palmed. "Of course you don't know. It's a field move, like surf. By using it, I can carry you underwater on my back, and you won't have to breathe."

"What? But how does it work?" Nauki gasped.

Nalo shrugged. "It just always has. Trust the field moves."

"Um… okay. So, what, I just get on your back?"

"Unless you want to drown, yes," said Nalo.

"That wouldn't be good." A bit awkwardly, Nauki clambered up onto her back. "Are you sure I'm not too heavy?"

Doing her best to contain the trembling of her legs, Nalo grunted, "No, it's fine. You'll be lighter in the water." Nalo activated dive, and though she could not see it physically, she could feel a connection form between her and Nauki. He would be safe. Without further ado, she plunged into the deep.

It wasn't quite time to be impressed yet. When Nalo looked around, she saw only the drowned portion of the tiny room the trio was taking shelter in. The only true thing of note was a gaping hole in the floor, leading downwards into blackness. Nalo turned her head and pointed it out to Nauki, who miraculously seemed to understand. Waving her enormous caudal fin, she swam down into the heart of Sea Mauville.

When they left the darkness, Nalo gasped. Surrounding her was the strangest room she had ever been in. There were smooth, metal steps leading lower into the drowned building, though they were red with rust and mostly rotted away. Even the railings looked like they would disintegrate at the slightest touch. The bottom of the stairs led to another two sets leading deeper, and so on.

Nalo paddled down the rotted steps, moving her limbs in circular motions like a dog, her tail fin continuing to sway. She nearly forgot Nauki was on her back, he was so light in the water. _"The sea carries us all like babes in their mothers' arms", the priests always say. Maybe they've got a point._

They continued down the rotted stairs, and as they descended, unrecognizable objects began to appear. They saw strange, blank screens and rotted walls revealing thin strands of russet metal encased in squishy, black material. There were empty book spines of finer quality than any Nalo had ever seen before, though the pages had but melted. From time to time, the strange beeps would resonate through the water. Nalo could feel Nauki jump at every creak and bleep, but they pressed on.

As they went lower and lower down the stairs, the light started to fade. If he could speak, Nalo was sure Nauki would be asking to return to the surface, but there was no way she could turn back now. Soon, the blackness was around them, but the bottom of the building was near. It was so dark Nalo was starting to wonder if it was even worth it to continue when she saw it. Just ahead was a green light, like a single, jade star in the night sky. Nalo turned back to Nauki, who immediately pointed it out. _So he's seen it too. Well, no turning back now!_ She put on an extra kick and swam down into the light.

When she arrived at her destination, Nalo realized the light was pouring out of a new hallway leading to somewhere unknown. Nauki was practically strangling her in anticipation, but she didn't dare smack him in case he fell off and drowned. She turned, and they made a silent exchange. The trapinch's expression could only read _let's do this._ Nalo nodded, and they swam into the light.

When Nalo arrived she wasn't entirely sure what she should be looking at immediately. The room was filled with soft, emerald green light. Then Nalo saw them. In the center of the room were three objects, all in glass cases. On the left was a jagged, steel blue stone about the size of a machop's fist that seemed to be emitting some sort of psychic energy. Nalo could feel it in her mind much like one could feel a psychic-type's moves, as if it were emanating some sort of psychic energy. To the right was a flute made entirely of silver and the same, steel blue stone as the rock. And in the center, glowing ferociously was a smooth, emerald orb.

 _What_ is _that?_ Nalo wondered. She moved forward, cautious so not to trigger any traps. However, it proved safe, and she was able to take a closer look. The water around the orb was spinning around it in a circle. The green light it gave off was nearly blinding at this proximity, but Nalo could just make out a golden symbol carved into the orb. It was a delta.

Nalo nearly jumped out of her skin when Nauki started rapidly tapping her. She was about to smack him without even turning when she saw it. An enormous shadow had fallen across the room, stretching across the floor and up onto the wall. Heart pounding and legs trembling, Nalo slowly turned.

Towering over them was an enormous, red and white gyarados. Her lips were curled in a ferocious snarl, and her eyes were hardened with absolute fury. She looked almost a stranger, any kindness in her eyes drained out and replaced by predatory hatred.

Then, she lunged forward.

Nalo's heart leaped out of her chest. She was practically certain she was going to get devoured, but instead, the gyarados grabbed the duo in her enormous teeth, and suddenly they were flying towards the surface. It had taken nearly an hour to descend to the bowels of Sea Mauville, but within seconds, the gyarados burst from the water and flung Nalo and Nauki onto the dry, icy metal.

Latias towered over them, practically huffing. "What the hell, guys?!"

"Oh, hey, Latias. We were just… um…" Nalo quickly grasped for some sort of excuse.

"What? You were just what?" Latias snarled. "I'm kind enough to find you some shelter from that storm, and the first thing you do is WALK ALL OVER OUR DEAL?"

"We were just-!"

Nalo's voice cut off the instant she felt it. Her brain felt like it was splitting apart, and both she and Nauki collapsed in agony. "I MAY BE NICE AND ADORABLE, BUT I'M STILL LATIAS, AND YOU DON'T MESS WITH ME, GOT IT?!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Nauki squeaked. The poor boy was shaking from head to toe.

"Good." Latias lit up and reverted to her spheal appearance. "Now let's get some sleep." She rolled to the other side of room and was still.

 _Oh… oh my,_ Nalo thought. She exchanged a glance with Nauki, and yet another silent exchange occurred.

 _We'll talk about it later._

Nalo found herself silent as lapras Latias dragged herself up onto the beach of Dewford Town. Even the voice of her head, which was usually analyzing something or sifting through information, had receded into the shadows. It's funny how time seems to stand still, sometimes. As she clambered off the rough shell and took a few steps up the beach, she had yet to make out anything new in her hometown. She walked up the beach, and she may as well have been gone for a day. The everstone swung as she walked, rubbing against her wet skin.

"It's quiet. I like it. It's like East Hoenn's Lavaridge," Nauki noted. "Do you guys have a town elder here? Or hot springs? You probably don't have a volcano, though. That'd kinda defeat the purpose of Kyogran Hoenn. Wouldn't an underwater volcano be awesome? Would it spew water? Or maybe…"

Nauki's voice faltered as he realized Nalo wasn't listening. "Um… are you okay?"

Nalo didn't respond for a few moments, to the point that Nauki stopped expecting her to. "I will be. Let's find Kiu and leave." Without awaiting a response, she marched up the beach and into town.

"Hold on! I gotta change!" Latias shouted. Nalo noticed a flash of light in the corner of her eye, and next thing she knew, a red and white spheal was rolling past her. Nauki caught up to her, and the mudkip and trapinch walked into Dewford Town together.

Nalo had always thought Dewford was a beautiful place at this time of day. The sky above was a faded powder blue, but it was bordered by the colors of sunset: rosy pink so light it could have been white, violet at the edge of the slowly-approaching night, and orange surrounding the fiery red sun, which floated just above the navy blue sea. It was the twilight hour, when the borders between day and night blended together, and things were not so certain. Ko'iho'i decorations graced the town, though the celebrations had always been somewhat toned down in the small town. Her mother usually decided to take her and the twins to Slateport for a few days to join the festivities there. Of course, Drownings and dancing still took place, for Dewford was nothing if not Kyogran.

"Hey, Nalo!"

Nalo looked up to see Nauki and Latias several feet ahead of her. "You're walking like a magikarp in a desert. Come on!"

"Sorry, just got lost in thought," Nalo explained. Everstone thumping against her chest, she galloped over to their companions, and they continued into the center of town.

"So, where should we start looking?" Latias wondered.

Both Nauki and Nalo were hesitant to respond. The morning after the incident in Sea Mauville, Latias had acted like it all had never happened. The children were glad for it, but both weren't eager to experience another scolding from a legendary pokémon, even one as nice as Latias. They had yet to discuss the mysterious objects found at the belly of Sea Mauville, but it remained fresh on their minds.

A carvanha passed them by on the street, and Latias rolled over to her. "'Scuse me! Might you know where a girl can find Kiu Taillow?"

"Kiu? The stoner? He's probably on the north beach," said the carvanha.

 _Stoner? What the…?_

"Thanks, ma'am!" With a sweet smile, Latias rolled northward.

Nalo and Nauki moved to follow, when suddenly, the carvanha snarled. "Hey! What's a Groutian doing here?!"

 _Shit, shit, SHIT. How typical of you, Lilo, you drama queen._

Before they knew it, the pokémon of Dewford were running to the scene, many armed with pebbles. "Get out of here, Usurper spawn!" roared a sharpedo.

"Take your filthy germs somewhere else!"

"We don't want your kind here!"

"Alright, alright!" Nauki yelped. "I'm going!" He and Nalo sprinted away from the town as the downpour of rocks began.

The two fled the town and ran up the empty beach, but with the blistering sunlight snarling down on them, it was not long before they slowed to a stop, panting.

"Sorry… about… that," panted Nalo.

"Huff, huff, I'm used to… it by now," huffed Nauki. Finally, he caught his breath. "Let's just figure out where Latias went and find Kiu."

They made their way up the beach, sticking to the rock structures that loomed over Dewford for shade. When they arrived at the northern beach, they saw sandshrew Latias speaking with none other than Kiu Taillow, who held a pipe in one foot and looked extremely annoyed.

"For the last time, fuck off! I'm not fucking telling you anything, so I suggest you fucking put yourself on a boat and get back to the goddamn land where you belong," Kiu barked. He stuck the pipe in his mouth and inhaled.

"I swear, Lady Ikaika sent us! I'm a nun of Chimney Monastery. You can trust us," Latias pleaded. "And might I ask you to watch your tongue?"

"Fucking get lost!" squawked Kiu.

Nauki and Nalo ran over. "Hey!" called the trapinch. "She's right, we were sent by Lady Ikaika. I'm her brother."

"Oh yeah? And I'm the fucking Sea Monster," Kiu scoffed.

"But I am!"

Kiu glanced at Nalo. "The brother of Ikaika wouldn't be fucking traveling around with a fucking Kyogran. Try fooling someone else, shitbag."

Nauki was quiet in thought for a moment, and then he said, "Hey. What is asleep has need to rise."

Kiu's beak dropped open, but he managed to respond. "In the depths of the earth, the great king lies… Come with me."

Kiu took wing and flew back towards the town, the trio on his heels. However, instead of taking them back to Dewford for some more pelting, he led them to a cave entrance in the rock formations. Nalo knew it immediately.

"What is this place?" Nauki asked.

"Granite Cave. Consider it a touch of Groudon in a place ruled by Kyogre," answered Latias.

"We can speak safely here," Nalo added. "But we have to be careful of landslides."

"The damn Sea Monster is calm for now. We'll be okay," said Kiu. He led them inside.

The four pokémon made their way through the red cave, picking their way around crevices and mounds of debris. Nalo was shocked. She knew Granite Cave was often plagued by Groudon's earthquakes and landslides, but after a year, it looked to be near collapse. Mining in Granite Cave had been stopped a little less than two years ago after a golem had been killed in a rockslide, and since then, Dewford's economy had plunged. Nalo remembered families that had been in Dewford for hundreds of years packing up and leaving. She shuddered as her mind forced upon her the memory of coming into her parent's room one morning to find her father's side of the bed empty and her mother crying over a note, of the countless times she'd tried to forget her mother begging at the marketplace for just a little bit more food to fill the twins' growling stomachs.

 _The storm has to stop,_ she thought. She picked up the pace and took the lead.

When they were near the pitch-dark portion of Granite Cave but still had just enough light, Nalo stopped. "We're deep enough."

"So," said Kiu. "This is a goddamn surprise. I wasn't expecting to hear from the Lady Ikaika again after she fucking turned down my deal. What the shit does she want?"

"Ika sent us to find Kyogre's stronghold. We heard you know where it is," Nauki explained.

"I already fucking told her! If she fucking wants my information, she's gotta give me the goddamn red orb. I'm not fucking talking otherwise," said Kiu. He took another puff of his pipe.

"But the red orb is Groudon's sacred artifact. You can't just ask for it!" exclaimed Latias.

"I just fucking did, sister." Kiu shrugged.

Nalo growled, "Okay, look. I don't know if you realized, but we are trying to stop a war that could wipe Hoenn, _your_ home region, off the map. You have vital information that could end this and save millions of lives, and you're withholding it because you're too greedy? Have those drugs you're smoking completely destroyed your senses?"

"I'm a damn flying-type, other sister. If Groudon and Kyogre wanna destroy Hoenn, the fucking Kaulike's got my back," Kiu said with a shrug.

Nalo stepped forward to strangle him, but Latias blocked her with an arm and said to Kiu, "Hey, we can't give you the red orb, but I have something just as good if you're interested."

"We'll fucking see," Kiu said. "Whadja got?"

"This." Latias dug into her backpack, tossing out several seemingly random things, and pulled out the object Nalo had often wondered about back in the secret room of Chimney Monastery. It was a sparkling droplet of liquid contained in a glass vial.

Kiu narrowed his eyes. "And what the fuck is that?"

"This is eon dew, the sacred artifact of Latias and Latios," she explained. "There are only two in existence. You can have it in return for the info."

Nalo's and Nauki's jaws dropped.

Kiu's eyes widened, but he hid his interest under a mask of aloofness. "How do I know it's authentic?" he asked.

"It's the only object in the world that strengthens both dragon- and psychic-type moves. Just test it out," Latias explained.

Kiu snatched up the bottle and examined it thoroughly. Latias looked pained watching the high taillow fondle her sacred artifact, but she held her tongue. When he finally seemed satisfied, he placed the vial behind him and said, "It will do. What do you want to know about the damn Sea Monster?"

Nalo suddenly felt uncertain about this. Kiu appeared to be just an unfriendly stoner with a sharp tongue, and now Latias had given up her eon dew to obtain information that had questionable reliability. _Well, we're in too deep now._ "You think Kyogre's legendling has the blue orb, right?"

"Think? Mudkip, I fucking _know_ ," said Kiu. "I'm a fucking informer for Groudon's sake."

"Well, on a scale of one to ten, how well do you know?" asked Latias.

Kiu stared at her like she'd just sprouted a second head. "What, are you smoking pomeg too?" He took a puff of his pipe.

"Okay, moving on," Nauki interrupted. "You know where Kyogre's stronghold is, right? What's the location?"

"Well, I'm not so fucking certain about it. After a battle against the Lady Ikaika, I followed Kyogre's fucking legendling out into East Hoenn for a while. He fucking headed underwater eventually, so it's safe to guess his stronghold is around there, and the entrance is underwater."

"And around where did he disappear?" Nauki pressed on.

"It was on Route fucking 126. You know, the one with the White Mountain," Kiu told.

"By the White Mountain…" Everyone jumped when Latias suddenly smacked herself on the forehead. "Idiot! How did I not think of that? Stupid, stupid, STUPID!" With each _stupid_ , she gave herself another smack.

"Wait, think of what?" Nauki asked, certain he had missed something again. He glanced at Nalo for confirmation and relaxed when she seemed equally confused.

"Saital, please contain yourself," Nalo told her. She turned to Kiu. "Can you tell us anything about Kyogre's legendling?"

Kiu thought it over. "Just that he's a kingdra. Other than that, I don't know a fucking thing."

"Okay, that's all we need," said Nalo.

"Thanks, Kiu!" added Nauki.

"Don't fucking mention it." Kiu puffed his pipe. "Aye, and thanks for the eon dew."

Latias winced as if she'd been slapped. "You're welcome. But if your information turns out to be unreliable…" She moved forward until she was mere inches from the taillow's face, her eyes uncharacteristically dark. "… I will be back." She exited the cave without another word, leaving Kiu trembling just slightly.

"Sorry," said Nauki. "She can be a bit… intense, from time to time." Flashbacks from Sea Mauville resurfaced in both children's minds. Kiu simply shrugged and started to puff on his pipe again, looking quite content to remain in Granite Cave, so Nalo and Nauki let him be and left.

* * *

The thundering rain outside sounded like screeching to Nalo's ears. A long time ago, she had loved the rain as much as any water-type. Whenever the clouds broke and the water came down, she and the twins would go outside and skip around until their skin was as slippery as the stones. Afterwards, she would continue to flick water in her brothers' faces until all traces of the precipitation were gone. But now, after she had witnessed firsthand what devastation the storms Kyogre left in his wake could bring, the symphony of the rain was always in a minor key. It was ugly, deafening, inescapable. No matter where she went, the incessant screaming of water droplets upon the ground stalked her, and it would until she could stop it.

And so it followed her to the mouth of Granite Cave, where her and her companions took shelter. They sat on three nests of sand encircling a flickering, cherry red fire courtesy of Latias. Since the exchange with Kiu, the legendary pokémon had been completely glum. She now lay on her belly, resting her head on one arm and picking at the ground with the other.

Nalo said, "It's your own fault, you know."

Latias mumbled something incoherent in response, though Nalo caught a few halfhearted insults mixed in.

"Yeah, why would you give away your legendary artifact? We could've gotten the information out of him one way or another," Nauki asked.

"Because that's what my daddy would've done," explained Latias. "Of course, he wouldn't have to give away his artifact to stop this storm. He would've just flown over to Groudon and Kyogre like, 'ROAR! YOU'RE BOTH IN A TIME OUT! NOW GO BACK TO SLEEP! NO SNACKS! ROOOAAAR!'" She flailed her arms around as if to complete the impersonation. "But Kyogre and Groudon wouldn't listen to me. They'd probably step on me if I tried to do that."

Nauki inquired, "Why do you call them by their names? Isn't it a rule that legendary pokémon have to call each other by titles? For, like, respect or something?"

Latias stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. Then, her eyes widened, and she smacked herself on the forehead. "That's a _thing_? Oh my gosh, I have so much apologizing to do! Geez, no wonder Regirock hates me! Stupid, stupid, _stupid_!" Three more smacks resonated through the cave.

Nalo laughed and got to her feet. "Well, I'm gonna head into town and restock. Cousin, wanna come with?"

"Sure!" The trapinch sprung to his feet.

Latias whimpered. "You're leaving me alone? In my hour of need?!"

"You're a legendary pokémon. If anyone gives you trouble, just snarl at them," Nalo suggested.

She half-expected Latias to start yelling, but she simply got up, spun herself around, and plopped down to so the two kids could only see her tail. She muttered a few halfhearted insults quietly, but Nalo managed to catch, "… Meanie bobeanie…"

Nalo laughed again. "Come on, Nauki." The two left the cave.

As the two pokémon headed back towards Dewford Town, Nauki asked, "Wait, what if the people kick me out because I'm a Groutian?"

"Don't worry. No one likes the rain anymore. It'll be empty," Nalo explained.

"Because of the storm?"

"Yep."

"Well, I can understand that. Groudon's heat waves aren't fun either."

 _You mean Ikaika's?_ Nalo thought, but she kept her mouth shut.

They made their way into town, which as predicted, was empty. As they headed to the Poké Mart, Nalo pointed out a few personal landmarks along the way.

"'Ilio Chinchou lives there. Don't talk to her, she's a bitch."

"I once broke the window of that house with a rock, and Ho'okahiko hit me. Old crone."

"Kaupaku Graveler used to pay me to clean his roof. I got both money and lemonade, so I'd say fair trade."

Nauki enjoyed the little anecdotes, but there were so many he was starting to have trouble keeping up with them all. "Wait, Kaupaku lives in that house?"

"No, that's Mana'o Gardevoir's house. Pay attention."

"But I… Oh, never mind."

They had just reached the Poké Mart when it happened.

Nalo turned the corner, and she bumped into him. In that moment, everything seemed to freeze. The raindrops stilled in their flight to the ground, the pokémon around her ceased to walk, the very air itself was immobilized. In that moment, the world consisted only of her and the pokémon standing before her.

Nauki asked, "Nalo, are you o-" His voice halted when he saw the pokémon. "Oh, boy."

The little mudkip before her took a great step back, looking up at her with dead eyes. When Nalo saw him, her limbs locked into place and her heart froze. This was not the boy she had left behind. Even as rains had begun to plague their tiny island home, Nalo remembered the twins as smiling, happy boys. They were always walking around town with a skip in their step, saying hello to anyone and everyone, collecting smooth stones on the beach or running through the surf, their eyes like tiny suns. But not this. This mudkip before her looked like the soul had been sucked out of him, leaving a gray husk.

The little mudkip glanced up at her with tired eyes. "Sorry," he mumbled before going past her and going on his way.

Nalo was still for what seemed like hours, but Nauki stepped into her field of view, his eyes concerned. "What's going on? Was that…?"

Nalo looked from him to the retreating mudkip, then back to him. "...I need to figure something out. Wait here, okay?"

She took a step forward, but she felt a tug on her caudal fin and turned to look at the trapinch. "Nalo, is this… is this okay?"

Nalo nodded and tossed him the bag. "Go stock up, and don't buy all the freaking bluk berries they have. I'll meet you in five minutes."

With a nod, Nauki ducked into the store. Immediately, Nalo set off in the direction the mudkip had went. She noticed immediately that his path took her towards the beach. She could hear the growling of the waves as she left the little town behind, and upon arriving, she spotted the mudkip settling down by the water.

Nalo approached cautiously, like she was nearing a bomb that could go off at any minute. When she was only a few feet behind him, she called out gently, "It's dangerous to sit that close to the water."

The boy whirled around, startled. "Oh, I, um…" He started to wipe furiously at his reddened eyes. "Sorry, you startled me, I…" He ducked his head, wiping harder and sniffing.

The sight alone was nearly enough to make Nalo tear up herself. She took a tentative step forward. "Are you crying?"

"No! No, I, um, I have allergies. I mean, I got sand in my eye. Sorry, I…" The boy turned around to face the ocean again, slouching. "I don't know who you are, but could you please just leave me alone?"

Nalo was quiet for a moment, just watching him. _I thought Mana'o did his job cleanly. What_ is _this?_ Finally, she walked forward and sat down beside the boy. "Hey, why're you crying, Kunane? I thought you liked the beach."

Kunane looked up at her in confusion, not even bothering to hide his tears this time. "How did you know my name?"

 _Agh, idiot!_ "I've heard it around town. But you didn't answer my question."

Kunane paused for a while, busying himself with rolling around a stone. "I don't know. I used to like the beach. I used to always come here with Mom and my brother to run in the waves. Mahoe and I would let them chase us up the beach, and then we'd come back. We don't do it anymore, though."

Nalo tried to suppress the gloom welling up in her chest. _He doesn't remember I used to take him and Mahoe to do that._ "Why don't you go anymore?"

"Well… I don't know," Kunane mumbled. "Mahoe and I don't do much of anything anymore. We've all been so down lately, even Mom. I just… I don't know what it is. Maybe all the rain? Or the heat waves?"

Nalo was silent.

"We don't go out and play anymore, or climb the rocks or go to the beach and hunt for sea glass. Mahoe and I… we just spend all our time staring at the d-door." His voice started to break, and suddenly, Kunane burst into tears. "I-I'm sorry! I don't cry all the time like this, I swear. Just every so o-often." He started to wipe his eyes, when he suddenly winced in pain and grabbed his head. "Agh!"

Nalo's heart fluttered in panic. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah. Crying just makes my head hurt lately, it's nothing," Kunane explained. "Sorry. You probably don't care about any of this. It's dumb."

"N-no! It isn't!" Nalo exclaimed. "Your whole family… They're all like this?"

Kunane nodded. He rubbed at his eyes once more and nodded. "I-I just don't know what to d-do. It's like s-something's missing, and I don't know what! I d-didn't even feel like this about Dad or this stupid storm." The boy paused for a moment as sobs escaped his lips. "All I want i-is to just feel h-happy again. If I could have that, I'd never want anything else. Because this, this is worse than being de-"

Kunane's voice halted abruptly as the stranger beside him enveloped him in the tightest hug he'd ever received. He wasn't sure why she was shaking until he saw the tears welling in her eyes. "I'm sorry, did I make you cry?"

"Shut up! I'm the one who's sorry. I'm such a freaking idiot," Nalo cried. She squeezed him even tighter. "Oh Kyogre, what the hell have I done?"

"I-I'm really confused," admitted Kunane. He pulled back slightly and gently wiped a tear from Nalo's face. "Why're you crying? Did you lose something too?"

Nalo nodded. "Three people."

"Oh gosh, three? That must be awful for you. I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "Not as awful as it is for them. But I swear on my life, I will come back to them within the month, or I'll end their pain and never look back. This ends in thirty days, I swear it."

"What ends?" asked Kunane, his head cocked.

"Everything." She kissed him on the forehead and set him down gently. "Don't go too close to the water, or it'll carry you off, okay?"

"Won't Kyogre protect me?"

Nalo set her brother down and, with an angry look, walked away. "Kyogre isn't protecting any of us anymore."

* * *

Mana'o Gardevoir had not been apart of Dewford Town for long, yet in his tie here, he had become an irreplaceable unit of the village. He was an older pokémon who had come from Petalburg City many years ago to live amongst his fellow Kyograns, and he made a living off selling wares and charms. He was notorious for doing favors out of the kindness of his heart, and the pokémon of Dewford had come to rely on him in trying times.

However, his conscience was not completely clear. It was apparent any time he saw Kanune and Mahoe Mudkip walking around town with puffy, bloodshot eyes, or whenever he saw Kaumaha Swampert pick up an extra pecha berry at the market and have to wonder why she did so. Of course, he managed to forget his sins in the pages of a book by the hearth or the smell of the sea on a clear day. So when Nalo Mudkip came knocking on his door, he was not exactly pleased.

"What are you doing back?" Mana'o demanded.

Nalo wiped her eye, which was when he realized she'd been crying. The mudkip looked completely exhausted. "Not even a hello?"

Mana'o stood aside to let her in, an invitation she accepted, though he did not look happy. "Do you even realize the consequences of what you've done?"

Nalo nodded. "I just did." Even her voice seemed tired. "So I have a deal for you."

"And this deal is?" Mana'o asked, crossing his arms.

"Give me a month. Thirty days exactly. If I come back to Dewford before then, give my family their memories back," Nalo said. "If thirty days pass and I'm still not here, finish your work."

Mana'o's eyes widened. "You don't mean-"

"I do," Nalo stated. "Make the memory wipe permanent. Remove me completely."

"But I cannot! To wipe a mother's memory of her own daughter would be-"

"A kindness," Nalo interrupted. "They've forgotten me, but they still remember too much. It's tearing them apart. I won't do that to them anymore. I'll stop this storm within the month, but on the off chance that I don't, release my family from their suffering. Mom, Mahoe, and Kunane don't deserve to wait for someone they don't even know."

Mana'o glared at her. "Had you not wiped their memories in the first place, you would not be in this situation."

"No, but I've seen what that's like too, and it's not something I'd want either," Nalo said vaguely. She held out her paw. "Do we have a deal?"

Mana'o stared at her outstretched paw for a moment before yielding and shaking her hand. "Very well, but under one condition. If you fail to complete your task before thirty days, I never want to see your face in Dewford again. Seeing you might stir memories in your family, and the results may not be something I can fix. Return within thirty days or not at all."

"Fine." Nalo ignored her distress. If she only had thirty days to finish this, there was no time to worry about failure. She made her way to the door. "I'll see you in thirty days." Without another word, she left.

Mana'o sighed. "I hope so, my child. I certainly hope so."


	9. The Secret City

**Chapter Eight: The Secret City**

* * *

"That's a _terrible_ idea!"

That was Nauki's initial reaction after Nalo explained to him all that had happened after he had left her with Kunane. She was a bit surprised by the intensity of his reaction.

"You think so?"

"Yeah I think so! I mean, are you kidding me?! If Ikaika did that to me, I'd never forgive her. I'd want the memories, no matter how painful!" Nauki yelled.

"Nauki, look. I can't leave them like this for much longer, but if I asked Mana'o to return their memories now, I wouldn't be able to leave. They've been through so much already that I couldn't stay without hurting them all over again. This is just how it has to be," Nalo said.

Nauki frowned. "Well, I don't like it, but… I can't say you're wrong. Looks like we have a deadline now, though."

"That's the downside."

"Well, I don't think so. I might get to have Ikaika back by the end of the month. Then we can go home and have our happy ending," said Nauki. _Oh, I can't wait! I wonder if Ikaika will want bluk berry salad on her first night home._ He tried to ignore Pa'ani clawing at his chest.

"Yeah, I'm sure she'd like that," Nalo said. He ignored the look of pity in his friend's eyes as well. "Now, where the hell is Latias?"

The two were on the beach, waiting for Latias to join them. Today was the day they would head off for the White Mountain. It would be a long trip spanning a week, but they would stop in Slateport and Pacifidlog Town to replenish their supplies and rest.

As if on cue, Latias rolled over in spheal form, singing, "I'm heeeeeeeeeere!" However, unable to stop, she ended up rolling right into the ocean and choking on a mouthful of seawater.

"Are you alright, oh powerful deity of the eons?" Nalo teased.

Latias glared at her. "Shut up, Nalo! You couldn't handle a spheal body."

"Alright, settle down, you two," Nauki interrupted. "We should get moving before the rain starts again."

"Not that this heat is any better," said Latias. She transformed into a lapras. "All aboard the S.S. Coolgal!"

"You're insufferable," Nalo muttered, shaking her head. She climbed onto the white shell. "Coming, Cousin?"

"Has anyone told you we're not cousins?" asked Nauki as he joined her on Latias.

"No, but if they did, I'd call _them_ Cousin," said Nalo.

Latias sped off into the water. Nauki had to admit, as much as he loved the land, it was better to be on the open ocean with spray on his skin when Groudon's heat baked the world. After full days of ocean travel, he was finally starting to get accustomed to it. He turned to Nalo to suggest a game of guess-and-splash, but the idea faded when he saw her staring back at Dewford forlornly. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Nalo noticed he was watching her and looked ahead. "I will be when we put Groudon and Kyogre in a time out where they belong."

"You and me both." She responded by patting him on the head.

"And me three!" Latias added. "Maybe Latios will come home when he finds out Groudon and Kyogre have gone to bed. Of course, he'll probably still be mad at me."

"You think he still is?" Nauki asked.

Latias shrugged. "We're pokémon with emotions twice as strong. That means double the anger."

"But _you've_ forgiven him."

"Yeah, but he's still halfway across the world in Kanto."

Nauki couldn't argue with that, so instead he said, "I'm sure he'll come home. Just don't give up and have faith in your happy ending."

Latias smiled sadly. "I sure hope your ideology doesn't fail you, kid."

"It won't," stated Nauki.

They rode on in silence, slowly but surely making their way to the White Mountain. They did not stop in Sea Mauville this time, but instead bedded down on damp sand patches and crevices in the gray rocks that jutted out of the sea.

* * *

In three days, they reached Slateport City.

"Good to be on land again!" Nauki exclaimed as he skipped up the beach. The sand was blisteringly hot from the heat wave currently cooking the city, but being a desert pokémon, it did not bother him very much.

"It would be, if it wasn't hot enough to melt metal," grumbled Nalo, who refused to leave the surf. She tossed Nauki the bag. "Just restock at the marketplace. If you buy anything we don't need, I will personally drown you in the night."

"I wasn't gonna!" Nauki lied.

"Says the person who bought bluk berries behind my back last time we were here. Kyogre, you and your freaking bluk berries."

"Hey, it's not my fault you fail to see how amazing they are," Nauki grumbled.

When the trapinch returned a half hour later, he allowed Nalo to watch him finish up the last of the ripe bluk berry he had bought with a smirk on his face. Nalo was so angry she yanked a tourist's beach umbrella out of the ground and flung it at his head, even setting her paws on the scorching sand to do it.

And then they were off, heading along Route 134. Nalo mentioned, "Did you know the pokémon of Pacifidlog are convinced there's some secret chamber under the water here?"

"No, I didn't," said Nauki. "Latias, do you know anything?"

"Whether I do or not, I'm not gonna tell you," she said, and that was the end of that.

The rest of their trip was uneventful, and by the time Latias announced civilization ahead, Nauki was glad for it. He was getting bored of endless blue in all directions. He would be glad to get on the land for a little.

However, when they arrived at the town and disembarked, Nauki was disappointed to see that Pacifidlog was not on an island, but instead floating on the water. It was quite impressive, actually. All the houses and the Center were built on floating wooden planks, and log bridges connected the buildings, their bark long worn away by the incessant swirling of the sea. It was the tiniest town Nauki had ever visited, with only six houses and a Center, and hardly any pokémon were around.

"Ah, Pacifidlog. Truly the most pointless town in all of Hoenn," Nalo sighed.

"Hey, it's not so bad. I once dared Latios to steal a house from here," argued Latias.

Nauki looked shocked. "Do you and your brother always dare each other to do stupid things?"

"No! Yes. Well, maybe," said Latias. "Hey, he returned it later!"

A passing seaking noticed them. "Visitors? Hm, we don't often get visitors in little Pacifidlog." He then noticed Nauki. "Oh, we don't like Groutians here." He spat the word _Groutian_ as if he were speaking of feces.

"Don't worry, he's with us, and he doesn't eat Kyograns," said Latias. "He's just a wittle baby, after all."

"I am not!" Nauki exclaimed.

The seaking laughed, but he still seemed wary. "Where're you three headed?"

"The White Mountain. Do you know the way from here? Nauki here dropped our map in the ocean," Nalo asked.

"It was an accident!"

The seaking nodded. "Yes, I know the way. Keep heading east along Routes 131 and 130. When you pass the mirage island off 130, turn north. It'll be right there. It takes up the whole chunk of Route 126."

"Got it," said Nalo. "We should be off. We only have twenty-five days left."

"Hold up now," said the seaking. "It's near dark, and it looks like a bad storm is gathering. One of them with the harsh rain and heat flashes. It won't be good to be out at sea in such weather. Won't you stay at my house tonight, so long as your Groutian friend here behaves?"

Nauki felt offended, but he knew better than to speak out when this pokémon was offering them hospitality. "Thank you, that sounds great," said Latias.

"Very well, then. Follow me, and do be careful on the bridges. Oh, my name's Ho'okipa Seaking, by the way."

Ho'okipa led the trio along the bridges to the house in the northwest corner of the town. Nauki had to tread carefully. The logs swayed under him, and one misstep would plant him directly in the ocean. With clouds black as jet gathering above him, he wasn't too keen on taking a swim. They arrived on the wooden island without incident, however. "Here we are," announced Ho'okipa. He opened the door and let them in.

The inside of the house was rustic. There was only one room. The kitchen area was in the bottom right corner, though it lacked anything with running water. The entire left side of the house was a living area with sofas, chairs, and a coffee table made of driftwood. And the back of the house consisted of three nests, one of them couple sized. Another seaking was setting the table, and two goldeens near adulthood were playing some sort of elaborate board game on the coffee table.

"Dear, set three more plates. We have guests tonight," Ho'okipa announced.

The seaking setting the table looked up, jumping when he noticed Nauki. "Um, Ho'o, is this… alright?"

"Yeah, Dad, what's a Groutian doing here?" one of the goldeens asked, lacking even the slightest bit of subtlety.

"Yes, it's fine. These two will keep a close eye on him," Ho'okipa promised. "Boys, why don't you introduce yourselves?"

The second seaking came over. "I'm Pilikua Seaking. Nice to meet you."

"Konahua Goldeen."

"Kiko'ola Goldeen."

"I'm Nalo Mudkip. This is Saital Lapras and Nauki Trapinch," said Nalo.

"Well, come sit at the table. We're having nanab soup," said Pilikua.

Nauki recalled when Makamaka had once brought a pot from a trip to Rustboro, and he'd somehow convinced her to let him and Ikaika have a share. They were nice and sweet, with enough bitterness to tone the sweetness down to just the right amount. "Woohoo! I love nanab soup!" He skipped over to the table and claimed a spot. Nalo and Latias sat on either side of him.

As soon as the soup was done, and as soon as Ho'okipa could convince the boys to "put down their cards, stop wasting their lives, and sit with the family for once", dinner commenced. Nauki ignored the goldeens eyeing him in suspicion and listened to what Ho'okipa was saying.

"So, what brings you three to the White Mountain? Isn't much there, really."

"We're looking for something. Someone, more like. We hope to find him there," Nalo explained.

"Ah, a search for a lost pokémon. I know it well." Ho'okipa's eyes clouded with memories for a moment, but before Nauki could ask, he snapped back to normal and continued. "You'd best be careful. The storm that's loomed over Hoenn is bad all over, but the rain never stops over the White Mountain."

"That's a good sign," said Latias. "Did you know the mountain used to be open at the top?"

"Did it really? I never knew that, and I've lived on the sea my entire life," Pilikua admitted.

"Yup! You could fly right into it. It got closed up somehow," Latias explained.

"Bizarre," said Ho'okipa. "You seem to know your history. We've got lots of it here in Pacifidlog."

"Have any stories?" Nauki asked.

"Oh, none that you haven't heard, I'm sure, but there are rumors floating around here. Us Pacifidlog folk believe we live in the shadow of the Kaulike Legendary."

Latias leaned forward. "You think?"

"I believe," Ho'okipa nodded. "Pacifidlog is a tiny town, floating on the open sea. The storm should have drowned our homes and sent us packing long ago, but here we are, safe. What other reason could there be but the Nameless God's blessing?"

"Luck," Nalo suggested.

"Luck will only get you so far," said Pilikua. "The discoverer of Pacifidlog Town, Loa'a Tentacruel, claimed she once saw the One Who Brought Peace flying over this little speck of sea, but it was never proven."

"I don't think you always need proof," said Latias. "Truth has a way of revealing itself, in the form of tales and myths and art. If Koa'a Tentacruel saw the Kaulike Legendary, I believe her."

"You're very wise for someone so young," Pilikua observed, his meal forgotten.

Latias giggled. "I'm not that young, but thank you."

After dinner, they spent the night on Ho'okipa's sofa. Nauki tried to sleep, but he was kept up by the storm raging outside. The house refused to stop rocking, and dinner plates fell off the countertop with mighty crashes. Icy coldness would settle upon the house, only to be replaced by intolerable heat afterwards. Nauki was shocked that anyone else could sleep.

 _I hope Ikaika's okay. I hate Groudon for forcing her to fight, especially on a night like this. Don't worry, Ika. In twenty-five days, you'll be home safe and happy._

He hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep when Nauki woke to Nalo shaking him. "Wake up, Cousin. It's time to go."

Nauki yawned and rose up, noting that the seaking family was still asleep. "Are we not gonna say goodbye?"

"Latias left a note, and we don't have time to wait for them. I only have twenty-four days left." Her eyes were glazed with stress.

Nauki nodded. "Okay, I'm coming."

The trio made their way out of the house and towards the east end of the town, with Nauki and Nalo walking and Latias swimming beside them. Only one pokémon was up, a magikarp sitting on the roof of the Center and staring at the sky in silence. The floating wooden islands seemed worse for wear after the storm, and the bridges were cluttered with leaves and sticks, but Pacifidlog otherwise was unharmed.

"Do you think the Kaulike really is looking out for this town?" Nauki wondered.

Latias replied, "Pssh. Daddy doesn't care about anything except napping. This town just happens to be sheltered by all the rocks."

Soon they reached the eastern end of the town. Nauki and Nalo climbed upon Latias's rough white shell, and the three pokémon headed off towards the White Mountain.

 _Kyogre, here we come._

* * *

"So this is the White Mountain," Nauki said. "Hm. It's smaller than Mt. Chimney."

"You Groutians and your volcanoes," Nalo muttered. "What're the odds of having a single mountain out in the middle of the ocean, especially with this color? Your Mt. Chimney can go suck it."

"Okay, granted," allowed Nauki. "So, where do you suppose we should start looking?"

"I have an idea," said Latias. "A super long time ago, there was a city inside this mountain. Sootopolis City." She looked uncomfortable, and Nauki knew she was speaking of the mysterious time before the Age of Beasts. "It's a dormant volcano, you see. The cone used to be open. There were only two entrances to the city. One by the sky, and one through the sea."

"You think there's an underwater entrance?" Nalo gasped.

"If it hasn't closed up, then it's a way in," explained Latias. "We'll have to dive. I don't know that move, so Nalo, can you carry Nauki?"

"Yeah, of course." Nalo moved into the water. "Get on."

Nauki slowly moved off Latias's shell and onto Nalo's back, which proved immensely difficult thanks to the drizzle. He nearly fell in once but grabbed onto Nalo's tail fin to save himself- much to her annoyance. Latias transformed into a spheal.

"Be ready. If Kyogre is really in there, we're gonna have to convince him not to kill us immediately. Here's our story," said Latias. "We're all Kyograns from Mossdeep City. Nauki was adopted by a water-type family and grew up worshipping Kyogre. We're all sick off the storm and Groudon, so we sought out Kyogre for refuge. Nauki, if he doesn't believe you, say this: 'All life began in the sea.'"

"'All life began in the sea.' Oh, I remember the Kyogran priests said that in Slateport," Nauki announced.

"Exactly. Kyograns are mostly water-types, but it really comes down to where you grew up. If you know the chant of the Kyogran priests, it might just save your life," Latias said. "You guys ready?"

"Ready," said Nalo.

"Ready, I think."

"Then let's dive!"

As they descended to the bottom of the sea, Nauki was more awestruck than he had ever been in his life. It was _beautiful_. The coral reefs sparkled with every color under the sun- from cherry red, to powder blue, to emerald green. Magikarp and chinchous played in the swaying seaweed, skipping gleefully through the water. On land, water-types tended to move awkwardly and clumsily, but in their own domain, they were the very definition of grace. The turquoise water swirled around them, and comfortable silence hugged them like clouds.

Of course, as they descended further down and the sky faded from view, Nauki caught himself singing silently.

 _A trapinch came down the walk,_

 _With big teeth for the bite._

 _He took his lunch up in his mouth,_

 _And wouldn't let it fight._

 _Once he'd had his fill,_

 _He glowed oh so bright._

 _He spread his two new pairs of wings,_

 _And left the ground for flight._

Feeling better, he let the song fade.

They kept swimming down and down until they reached the white sand. Latias led the way, rolling through the water with her chubby spheal body. She pointed to the base of the White Mountain and said grinning, "See that?"

"Yes! I do!" Nalo cheered.

 _Wait, I don't!_ But when Nauki squinted and tilted his head slightly, it became clear. Behind a clump of seaweed and algae, hidden in plain sight, was a cave entrance.

"This is it. Everyone get ready," Latias said. "We're entering the stronghold of the legendling of Kyogre." Together, the three pokémon entered the White Mountain.

At first, all Nauki saw around him was darkness. It surrounded him, swirling around the trapinch like octillery ink. But then he noticed something. Up above, hardly distinguishable, was a glimmer of light.

Latias seemed to notice it as well. "We're going up." She and Nalo braced themselves, and they sped up towards the surface, towards whatever awaited them in the world above.

They broke the surface.

When he looked around, Nauki gasped. Rising up on the walls of the White Mountain was a city. The buildings and houses were made of the same white stone as the mountain. A river cascaded down the ridges in waterfalls, continuing until it plopped into the great saltwater lake that took up most of the mountain. On the mouth of the river was an island with a great tree half the height of the White Mountain itself, and behind it was a mysterious, white doorway. In the center of the saltwater lake was an island with an abandoned gym on it. All around, making their way along the walls of the mountain and around the city, were pokémon. Most were water- and ice-types, but the variety was something to behold, and some people sported blue cloaks with alphas on the backs.

"But why is there a whole city hidden from the world?" Nalo wondered.

"Let's find out! To the shore we go," said Latias.

Suddenly, Nauki felt the water beneath him start to shudder. He opened his mouth to warn his friends, but before he knew it, the water rose up like snakes and grabbed them all. They all shouted in surprise as the water raised them up, grasping them tight as fists, and then froze, locking them in place.

"Holy hydra!" Latias yelped.

"What the hell is going on?" demanded Nalo.

They had the attention of all the pokémon now. Most fled into houses and locked the doors behind them, but the ones in blue cloaks ran to the shore. And then, Nauki saw him. Approaching over the water on a small wave was a kingdra. As he neared them, Nauki could feel the icy coldness he radiated. Just seeing him kicked off Nauki's fight or flight, and all his instincts told him to turn tail and run.

Once the kingdra was close enough, he rose himself up on a pillar of water so he might stand above his prisoners. "So," he said. "The Divider has finally sent her minions to our stronghold, so they might run back to her with our location. No matter." He rose up more spears of water, eyes narrowed as he prepared an attack.

"Wait! We're not from the Usurper! Please!" Latias pleaded.

The kingdra squinted. "A spheal of red and white. We have never seen one of your ilk."

"It's a genetic mutation," Latias explained quickly. "Please, if you would just let us explain-"

"Explain? You have a ground-type in your presence, and you expect us to believe anything you claim?" the kingdra scoffed.

Nauki jumped in. "I may be a ground-type, but I'm Kyogran through and through. I grew up in Mossdeep City. We all did. A water-type family adopted me, and I know Kyogre is our rightful lord. Groudon is a demon."

The kingdra looked unconvinced. "Ground-types who worship us are few and far between. We have known none in several million years. Why should we believe your tale?"

Nauki decided it was time to whip out his trump card. "All life began in the sea…"

Nauki expected the kingdra to finish, but he was silent, so Nalo took over. "… And to the sea all life must return."

Now the kingdra looked impressed. "How is it you know the chant of those who worship us?"

"Because I worship you too!" Nauki claimed.

"Please," said Latias. "We're sick of Groudon and the terror he's brought to Hoenn. We came to you seeking refuge and shelter. Would you really turn away your own followers?"

The kingdra was silent for a long time. Nauki was just about convinced icicles were going to impale them, when the ice melted and the trio dropped into the water. Nauki quickly clambered onto Nalo's back before he drowned.

"Very well. We shall allow you into our stronghold. But should we doubt your loyalty for even an instant, we shall smite you without a second thought. Understand?"

"You won't have to," Nalo promised.

The kingdra nodded. "Then welcome to Sootopolis, the Secret City."

The trio followed the kingdra to the shore. He led them not to the island, but instead to the left shoreline, where the Kyogran priests awaited. In his presence, the priests immediately bowed, and Nauki noticed none of them would meet the legendling's eye. "These three Kyograns seek refuge in the Secret City. We have opted to allow them to stay. Offer them shelter."

One of the younger priests, a grovyle just out of his teenage years, asked, "Err, um, Lord Kyogre, is it truly safe to have a ground-type in Sootopolis?"

The kingdra responded with a glare that would scare Regigigas, and the grovyle shrank. "Perhaps we ought to drown you for your insolence, Grovyle, and this time you shan't return."

"U-understood. A thousand apologies, Lord Kyogre," the grovyle squeaked.

"Then do as we command." The kingdra entered the water and swam off for the island, leaving the trio alone with the priests.

A sharpedo turned to the others. "You all heard Lord Kyogre! Iki, show these new Sootopolians to an empty house right away."

A marill girl in a blue cloak came forward. "Of course! I won't fail." The priests dispersed, leaving them alone. "Welcome, friends. I'm Priestess Iki Marill. Sorry your arrival was a bit… rough."

"Kyogre's legendling sure is intense," Nalo agreed.

"He's our lord and our savior from the Divider. He is kind, truly," persuaded Iki. "Well, shall I bring you to your new house?"

"Lead the way!" exclaimed Latias.

They made their way up the city, along the rocky pathways and staircases carved into the stone. "So, I've never seen a spheal like you before. Are you shiny?"

"It's more of a genetic mutation, really, but I like to call myself shiny," said Latias.

"What does genetic mean?" asked Iki.

Latias looked tempted to slap herself on the forehead. "It's, err… nothing." Iki simply shrugged and led on.

When they reached the top of the city, Iki led them over to a house. "This one's empty. You three can live here." She opened the door.

The inside of the house was completely empty and covered in an inch-thick layer of dust. The simple act of walking stirred up clouds. "We'll have to furnish it, of course. I'll summon Wahine Zigzagoon to clean up for you. She's the city maid."

"Yeah, we'll just chill here until then," said Latias. Iki nodded and left.

"So…" said Nauki once he was certain the priestess was gone. "He was… well…"

"Completely nuts?" Nalo finished.

"I was gonna say something nicer, but-"

"Something seems off about him," Latias interrupted. "I sensed it with my psychic-type-ness. It was hard to distinguish between his own soul and Kyogre's."

Nalo was about to respond when there was a knock on the door, followed by a high-pitched call. "Hoouusekeeeeeeping!" She opened the door, and a zigzagoon with a bag of cleaning supplies marched in. She seemed about a year younger than Nauki. "You guys the newbies?"

"That's us," said Nauki.

"Welcome to Sootopolis, freaks! I'm Wahine Zigzagoon, resident maid."

"Well, I'm Nalo Mudkip. This is Nauki Trapinch and Saital Spheal," explained Nalo.

"Saital? That's a weird name," Wahine said. "So, let's get to it!" She whipped out a feather duster and commenced her war on the dust. "So, where're you three from?"

"We're from Mossdeep. We were seeking refuge from the storm with Kyogre," Latias explained. "Say, what is this place exactly? I thought it'd be a monastery, but only a few of the pokémon here are priests."

"Oh, Sootopolis? It's just a place where pokémon come when they don't wanna be found. Some fled debt, others the storm, others personal problems, some the law. And of course, some just came to be around Kyogre. This is a place where no one will ask you what your story is. We accept each other for who we are in the present, not the past," Wahine explained. "That's the magic of Sootopolis City."

"So what brought you here?" Nauki asked.

Wahine growled, "Hey, that's the no-go question. Don't ask anybody why they came. I guarantee you'll get beat up or drowned or something."

"No-go question. Got it," Nauki squeaked.

"Can I ask you a few questions about Kyogre's legendling?" Nalo asked Wahine.

She nodded. "What about him?"

"He's a bit strange, isn't he?"

"Oh, I feel you," said Wahine. "That boy's just about the weirdest pokémon I ever met. His name's Kai'a'a Kingdra, by the way. Just never call him that around him or any of the priests. You'll die, I promise."

"Why not?" asked Nauki.

"No idea. He arrived in Sootopolis about four years ago, seeking a stronghold for a war with Groudon. And I mean, who could say no to flipping Kyogre?" Wahine paused to cough when a dust cloud sprung in her face. "He went by Kai'a'a for about a year, but then he demanded to only be called Lord Kyogre. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't even _remember_ his own name."

"You don't seem very respectful of him, even though he's Kyogre," noted Nalo.

"Well, I'm Spheran. If the Kaulike came down from his tower, I'd kiss the ground he walked on, but I'm not a huge fan of the beasts," said Wahine. "Honestly, you'll find most of us non-priest Sootopolians aren't too fond of Kai'a'a."

"Why not?" asked Latias.

"Because he's at war with flipping Groudon! If Groudon found us, he wouldn't hesitate to turn our little city to rubble," exclaimed Wahine. "Also, Kai'a'a's kind of a jerk. He'll kill anyone for the dumbest reasons, and if he feels guilty, he doesn't bother to show it. All he feels for the people who gave him shelter is disdain. He used to be pretty polite, if distant, but when he started going by Lord Kyogre, he became king jerk."

"That… that sucks," said Nauki.

Wahine laughed. "That's one way of putting it. He lives in the abandoned gym on the island. That's off limits, along with the tree island and the cave behind it. Trust me, unless you want to be held underwater for terminally long periods of time, don't trespass."

"We won't," said Latias in a tone that suggested otherwise.

"Alright, have fun dying," shrugged Wahine.

The subject changed to random things, like where they might find food or what life was like in the Secret City. About a half hour later, Wahine finished and made for the door. "Dinner's at six if you're hungry. If you're not, then I don't know. Just go swimming or something. Bye, freaks!" She waved her feather duster and left.

"So," said Latias once Wahine's footsteps faded, "the blue orb is somewhere in Sootopolis."

"You think so?" asked Nauki.

"I can sense its power. What we need to do is find out where it is and look for an opportunity to snatch it. Then we can figure out how to use both orbs to put our favorite storm-makers to sleep," said Latias.

"But if the orbs give Groudon and Kyogre power, can we really use them to put them to sleep?" Nalo asked.

"Yeah, totally. The red orb gives Groudon power, so it can also do the opposite: take power away from Kyogre. Same for the blue. I've seen it done before. We just need to figure out how," explained Latias. "So, I think it's time we assigned jobs again."

"What do you want us to do?" asked Nauki.

"Nalo, I want you to figure out more about Kai'a'a and his schedule. Find out if he ever goes out, how he acts, whether or not he leaves his room guarded, how long he usually stays out, et cetera. The more we have, the better."

"I'm on it," Nalo nodded.

"And Nauki, I want you to investigate that cave."

Nauki cocked his head. "Cave? What cave?"

"The one behind the big tree on that island. I'm not sure about it, but I believe that cave is very important to Groudon and Kyogre. There's something in there, and it might just be the key to our success. I want you to figure out how to open it, if it's guarded, how it's guarded, anything you can. Just be discrete. You might arouse suspicion if you aren't subtle."

Nauki nodded. "I can do that. And what'll you be doing?"

"I'm gonna lay low. There's no doubt Kyogre'll be suspicious of me, just like Groudon was. The farther I stay away from him, the less he'll sense my power," Latias explained. "While I'm doing that, I'll be listening to whatever you two find out and trying to form a plan. Our two prime objectives right now are getting the blue orb and getting into the cave."

"Then we ought to get started." Nalo got to her feet. "Come on, Cousin. Let's get dinner and mingle with the nice Sootopolians."

The two bid Latias goodbye and left the little house. Nauki spotted the pokémon gathering by a Center that had fallen into disrepair. "That must be where dinner is," he said. He led the way down the rocks to the shore, and then he and Nalo split up to mingle with the pokémon.

Dinner appeared to be a social affair, with everyone talking amiably and smiling. _That's a bonus for me,_ he thought. He approached a pair of vigoroths who refused to let go of each other's hands and said, "Hi, I'm Nauki Trapinch. I'm new."

The female vigoroth blinked in surprise. "A ground-type? I'm surprised Lord Kyogre didn't kill you when you on sight."

Nauki said, "Well, I may be a ground-type, but I'm a Kyogran through and through. As soon as I explained, he stopped trying to kill me."

The male laughed boisterously. "That's a relief! You wouldn't be the first newbie he nearly slayed upon entry."

"Hey, I was wondering," said Nauki. "What's that cave by the big tree over there?"

"Hm? Oh, that's the Cave of Origin," the female vigoroth explained. "We only arrived about a year ago, so I'm afraid I really don't know what's in it. Only Lord Kyogre is allowed inside."

"No one sneaks in or anything?" asked Nauki.

"Well, there are always priests stationed outside," said the male. "Besides, only Lord Kyogre can open that door. There used to be a breloom who lived here. She tried to go in, but the second she touched the door her entire body froze over. Dead in an instant, the poor thing."

"The death toll around here has just gotten higher and higher with that Lord Kyogre around," muttered the female.

"Hey!" The three whirled around to see a relicanth priest glowering at them. "You will not speak about Lord Kyogre that way. He is our god and our savior. As pokémon of the sea, you ought to respect him more."

"My bad, my bad," muttered the female.

"We aren't even water-types," the male argued.

"All life began in the sea, and to the sea all life must return. See to it you remember that." The priest swam off.

The female vigoroth groaned. "Those stupid priests. I swear, every day they get more-"

She cut off at a sudden shout. "Lord Kyogre approaches!" Immediately, the pokémon fell silent and bowed. Nauki quickly copied. Sure enough, Kai'a'a Kingdra was approaching over the water, his face expressionless. When he arrived, the pokémon rose and parted a path between him and the food table.

Kai'a'a made his way through, and the whiscash serving poured him a bowl of stew. "Enjoy, Lord Kyogre."

The conversation started up again suddenly, much to Nauki's surprise. "Sorry about that. He's big on respect," the female explained.

"Oh, it's no trouble. I worship Lord Kyogre. All life began in the sea and all," said Nauki. "So you two don't know anything else about the cave? The Cave of Origin?"

"That's about it," said the male. "Why're you so interested in it?"

"Well, I _am_ a ground-type. Being a cave fan runs in our blood," joked Nauki.

Meanwhile, Nalo watched Kai'a'a from a distance. _Other than the fact that he's a slow eater, I'm not learning a ton by just staring at him. Eh, let's just go for it_. She made her way through the crowd and walked right up to Kai'a'a. "Hi."

Kai'a'a looked offended and angry, but he said nothing about her casualness. "Greetings, Mudkip. What is it you require of us?"

 _He said us. What is it with the "we"?_ "Why do you say _we_ instead of _I_?"

"We are Kyogre. Our decisions are not to be questioned by the likes of you," Kai'a'a responded, his anger bubbling.

"You're right. My deepest apologies." Nalo bowed quickly just for good measure. "Where're you from?"

"We slept in the Seafloor Cavern for many a year until it was time to war with the Usurper once again. Then we rose."

"I get where Kyogre's from, but where're _you_ from?" Nalo explained.

Kai'a'a looked genuinely confused. "We _are_ Kyogre. We don't understand your question."

Nalo took a subtle step back. _Oh Kyogre, this guy's off his rocker._ "Oh, well, uh, never mind. I'm sorry if I offended you."

Kai'a'a gave her a onceover. "Who are you to speak to us so boldly?"

"I'm Nalo Mudkip. I'm sorry, am I being rude?"

"We ought to kill you for your insolence, indeed," said Kai'a'a, but he made no move. "You are from Mossdeep City, yes?"

"Yes, why?"

Kai'a'a was silent for a few moments. Then suddenly, he winced in pain.

Nalo asked, "Are you okay?"

Kai'a'a nodded, grimacing. "It is but another headache. We will retire for the night." He made his way back down the path and across the water again.

* * *

Kai'a'a went into his house and slammed the door shut behind him. Only when he knew he was alone did he sink onto the floor.

" _Agh!_ " he cried. His head felt like it was splitting open, yet he didn't pretend to be surprised.

 _You are in pain again._

The voice distracted him from the headache. That voice did not speak often, but when it did, it was always a treat. Kai'a'a knew who it was. He was Kyogre and Kyogre was him, yet the voice persisted. It was the truest essence of the legendary inside him, the part of Kyogre that remained apart from the kingdra.

"We are," Kai'a'a murmured, "again."

 _Fix it. I do not like it._

"We don't know how. The berries do not work."

The voice fell silent.

"Are you still there?" Kai'a'a asked. The only response was more silence, much to his disappointment. It most likely would not speak to him for another few weeks or so, though he had once gone half a year without hearing anything from it.

Kai'a'a wondered what had triggered this headache. It was always something. He recalled the words Mossdeep City, and another stab of pain ricocheted through his head. _The words mean nothing to us. It is an island, a mere village in our domain,_ he thought. Yet, as he continued to speculate, a hazy image conjured in his head. If he concentrated hard, it almost appeared like a seaking.

The bout of pain ended as swiftly as it had come, and the image in his head evaporated. Kai'a'a rose up. _It matters not._ _Soon we shall have our victory._ His gaze moved towards the blue glow coming from the corner of the room. _We need only to unlock your secrets._

* * *

Sootopolis was quiet at night. The only sounds were the flow of the river and the faint crashing of waves against the outside of the White Mountain. So, Latias figured now would be a perfect time to do some snooping around.

Careful not to wake Nauki or Nalo, she left the little stone house and rolled down the steps and pathways of the Secret City as quietly as her pudgy, rotund body would allow. It was after she sent the fifth stone rolling noisily down the slope and into the water that she realized she could just transform into a quieter pokémon. _Nah, being a spheal is just too cute!_

Latias arrived at the grassy shoreline and stopped. _I really hope Kyo- I mean, I really hope the, um, Big Fish isn't a light sleeper._ She shimmied into the water and ducked under. Completely submerged, she rolled through the water towards the island. When she arrived, she clambered onto the shore as quietly as she could- which unfortunately was not very quiet- and peered into the window.

 _Well, he certainly lacks Ikaika's taste for throw pillows,_ Latias thought. Kai'a'a's house was completely barren. The walls and floor were made of gray metal, with about an inch of seawater on the floor. There were several tables and cabinets that appeared half-empty, and his bed was not a nest but a tub of water. However, she did not fail to notice the faint blue glow in the room. She moved to the next window, and that's when she saw it. Sitting on a pedestal in a glass case was a sapphire sphere with an alpha engraved on it.

 _The blue orb! YES! Kiu was right, he does have it!_ Latias had to stop herself from leaping with joy. _As soon as Nauki and Nalo finish their work, that orb'll be ripe for the picking, and then we'll put these boys to sleep. Happy, happy, happy!_

Guilt flickered in Latias's chest, spoiling her good mood almost instantaneously. _Of course… it might not be happy for everyone._ An uncharacteristic frown on her face, she headed back up to the house.

* * *

"I'm _bored_ ," Nauki wailed. He lay on his back in a dusty, old straw nest a couple of Sootopolians had brought the previous night. "Booooored."

As expected, a pillow bounced off his head. "Shut up, will you?"

Nauki rolled onto his stomach and let his forelegs dangle onto the floor. " _Boooooooored!_ " He was, truly. Back in Chimney Monastery, whenever he had been at a loss of what to do, he went to hang out with Ikaika. But under the White Mountain, his sister was halfway across Hoenn, and Nalo had no interest in entertaining him.

"So play your instrument thingy," Nalo suggested.

"No," Nauki groaned. "It isn't the time."

"That's a dumb reason. Make it the time."

"But it's _not_!"

Nalo ignored him and continued to scribble down a plan to investigate Kai'a'a further. So she was completely unprepared when a pillow suddenly hit her on her dorsal fin.

Nalo whipped around to face the culprit with her mouth agape. "Why'd you hit me?"

"I'm _booooooooooooooooooooo-_ "

"Gah! Shut up!" Nalo yelled. Then she sighed. "Fine, if I let you come do some investigating with me, will you shut up about being _boooored_?"

Nauki sprung to his feet. "Woohoo! Let's a'go!"

Nalo handed him her bag full of supplies. "Then you carry the stuff. Just don't drop it and don't ask anyone stupid questions."

"Ikaika says no questions are stupid if you ask them," Nauki argued.

Nalo deadpanned. "I once worked in a bookshop, and somebody came in and asked me if we sell books. Are you absolutely certain about that?"

"… Point taken."

Leaving Latias to her snoring, the duo headed outside.

Nauki had to admit he liked Sootopolis City. It was easy to pretend the storm didn't exist here. If he wanted to, he could just pretend the rest of Hoenn didn't exist for a little, and the walls of the White Mountain bordered the entire world. He didn't, however. _We only have three weeks, twenty-one days, before Nalo's deadline is up. There's no time for fantasy._

Nauki and Nalo headed down along the stone pathways. Some were wide enough for a mamoswine to walk with ease, while others were narrower than Nauki's body. He firmly believed he could traverse them with ease, if climbing to his secret base was suitable practice, but Nalo refused to set foot on any path no wider than herself. So, the two stuck to safer trails.

Nalo approached a passing masquerain. "Excuse me! Yes, you. We're new here, and we were wondering if we could just ask a few questions."

"Oh, why of course! You dearies ask anything you want," the masquerain said.

"Well, we're Kyograns. Yeah, the trapinch, too. He was raised by water-types. We get that reaction all the time," said Nalo. "We'd like to know good times to pay our respects to Lord Kyogre. Do you know what are good times to go see Kai'a'a Kingdra, and what times he might be out?"

"Oh, well, a priest would be able to answer that question better than little old me, dearies," the masquerain admitted. "He doesn't quite have a strict schedule. He goes off to fight Groudon whenever duty calls, and when he isn't doing that, he's usually down in the Cave of Origin."

"Does he have a certain time he beds down for the night or anything?" asked Nauki. He glanced at Nalo to make sure he hadn't said anything dumb.

"No, I'm afraid he's got no schedule at all. Sometimes he goes into the Cave and comes back out the next day. Other times he sleeps a good twenty-three hours. I remember one time he spent a whole three days in the cave, and when he came out he just collapsed. The priests were all in a panic, but they figured out he was just exhausted. Didn't wake up for a whole day, the poor dearie."

"Is there nothing certain about it?" Nalo asked.

The masquerain thought it over but came up with nothing. "Really, dearies, you ought to ask the priests these sort of questions. I'm just a humble Sootopolian. I don't know much about Lord Kyogre."

"Okay, we understand. Thank you for your time," said Nauki.

"Anytime, dearies. Welcome to Sootopolis!" She flew off.

Nalo sighed. "Well that was unhelpful. All we know now is that Kai'a'a's a semi-insomniac."

"Not necessarily," argued Nauki. "We know he spends a lot of time in the Cave of Origin. Latias could be right about there being something important inside."

Nalo looked surprised. "Well, right you are. Let's find a priest to interrogate, but we have to be careful about it. It has to be the right priest."

"The right priest?" Nauki cocked his head.

"Yeah. We can't ask any of them who are too hardcore about their religion. They'd report us to Kai'a'a for suspicious behavior," Nalo explained. "It's gotta be the right priest. Probably someone young, or unintelligent, or new to the Drowned Court."

"Maybe Iki Marill? She seemed pretty young," Nauki suggested.

"She could do," nodded Nalo. "How about at lunch today, we'll scope out all the priests and make a list of good options."

"Sounds like a plan. When's lunch? I'm hungry."

"Should be soon."

"Well, in the meantime, let's go down to the shore. The water is so pretty here."

"Eh, why not?"

The trapinch and mudkip headed down the white, rocky paths until they arrived on the grassy shore. The grass was coarse and pine green, not quite as soothing on the feet as emerald, midsummer grass, but Nauki was just surprised any could even grow under the White Mountain. He walked up to the glass-like lake and prodded the water, sending ripples off in every direction. "Water's cool."

"So is earth," Nalo agreed, "but I prefer water."

"Well, duh," laughed Nauki. "You're a water-type. You not preferring water would be like an ice-type not preferring ice."

Nalo smiled. "Quite." She lay down and prodded the water as well. "The twins would be amazed by this. They've never seen still water before. Dewford has the sea and that's it, and the sea is never still."

"Well, when this is all over, we can take them to that lake by Fortree," Nauki suggested lightheartedly, but his smile faded when he realized Nalo was staring at the water, a dejected look on her face. "Um, are you okay?"

Nalo didn't meet his eye. "What if I can't do it?"

"Can't d-"

"What if I can't defeat Groudon and Kyogre in twenty-one days? It's already been over a week, and all I've achieved is just getting to this place. I have three weeks to do the impossible." She sniffed and wiped at her eye. "What if I fail and never get to see my family again?"

"Hey, don't talk like that," Nauki ordered. "If you talk like that, you'll stop believing, and if you stop believing, then you'll fail for sure. We just have to work fast and not stop trying. You'll get your happy ending, and Ika will too."

Nalo looked up at him. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I believe in happy endings," Nauki declared. "We won't fail. Groudon and Kyogre will be asleep before the clock strikes midnight on the thirtieth day. I don't care if we have twenty-one days or two days to get this done. We'll get it done."

Nalo still looked uncertain.

"Come on, look at us. We're here in Sootopolis, home to the Cave of Origin, which could hold the answers we've been searching for. We're so close! We can't give up now, not when our happy endings are just within reach. I'd rather fail completely than give up without even trying."

Nalo smiled. "You are something else, Cousin." She got to her feet. "Come on. Those priests are bringing down lunch. We've got some scoping to do."

* * *

"Hey, you!"

'U'uku Barboach turned in surprise at Nalo's call. It was past lunchtime, and Nauki and Nalo had followed the young priest after the Sootopolians had dispersed. At lunch, they'd found out he had only been a Kyogran priest since Ko'iho'i and suffered from a stutter. Nalo figured he'd be the best candidate to question.

"M-m-me?"

"Yeah. You see, we only just arrived yesterday, and we still have lots of questions. Can we ask you a few? You seemed like the go-to guy," Nalo said.

'U'uku looked startled, but he said, "Of c-c-course."

"As Kyograns, we'd really like to pay our respects to Lord Kyogre, but we obviously don't want to bother him when he's busy. Would you happen to know what sort of schedule he keeps?"

"Well, uhh… Not r-r-really," 'U'uku admitted. "Lord K-Kyogre doesn't r-r-really keep a sched-dule."

"Are you sure? There aren't any specific times when he goes out?" Nalo asked.

"Well, he d-d-does leave every c-c-couple of weeks for a c-couple of h-hours," said 'U'uku.

"Oh, really? Then we'll be sure not to bother him then. Do you know when he's leaving next?" asked Nalo.

"In ab-b-bout a week," 'U'uku informed.

"Ah, thank you so much. You really are a smart guy," said Nalo. 'U'uku blushed.

"Hey, what about the Cave of Origin? I've heard all sorts of talk about it. What's in there?" asked Nauki.

"I d-d-don't know," admitted 'U'uku. He seemed to be starting to get uncomfortable with the interrogation. "O-only Lord K-Kyogre is allowed in the-there. No one e-else."

"Really? I wonder what's in there," Nalo wondered.

"Maybe treasure! Think it's guarded?"

'U'uku interrupted. "Oh, it i-is. Two priests are a-a-always outs-side."

"Oh, then it's gotta be something good, but if it's Lord Kyogre's, we'll stay away," said Nauki. "Thank you very much."

"No p-p-p-problem."

Nauki and Nalo turned, and as soon as they were a few feet away, they broke into a joyous sprint, practically leaping up the rocky paths to their house. They flung the door open, skipped inside, and slammed it loudly enough to wake Latias.

"What the?" the legendary gasped, rolling out of her bed. "You guys! I'm trying to sleep!"

"Latias!" Nalo bounded over to the spheal and squeezed her in a hug.

Latias blushed. "I, uhh… What's going on?"

"We did it! We did it, we did it, WE DID IT!" Nauki cheered.

"Yeah, we did it!" Latias joined. "What is it we did?"

Nalo set Latias down. "We have our opening. In exactly a week, Kai'a'a will leave for a couple of hours. We have two whole hours to grab the blue orb, break into the Cave of Origin, and figure out how to put Groudon and Kyogre to sleep!"

Latias smiled. "Holy buckets! That's fantastic!"

"We're gonna finish this thing with fourteen days to spare," said Nalo. "All we have to do is wait a week."

"Totally! Hey, while we're on topic, we may as well pool our information. Nauki, what did you find out about the Cave of Origin so far?"

"Only Kai'a'a is allowed inside, and the door is made of ice that'll freeze pokémon on contact. We're gonna have to figure out a way around it. There are two priests on guard outside. I'm not sure what's inside, though. Could be Kyogre's body."

"No, it isn't. Kyogre's body is in some place called Seafloor Cavern. Kai'a'a mentioned it," Nalo corrected.

"Did you get a chance to find some things out about him?" Latias asked.

"Well, yes and no," said Nalo. "He seems a bit, well, nutty. I've got a feeling he's convinced himself that he is Kyogre."

"Well, sometimes legendaries take over their legendlings completely and assume control. That could be the case," Latias suggested.

"Unless Kyogre has taken to saying _we_ instead of _I_ , I doubt it. Besides, when I made it clear I was talking to him and not Kyogre, he got confused. Would Kyogre have gotten confused?" Nalo said.

"Hmm… I don't know. Just in case Kyogre truly did take him over completely, we'll have to tread extra carefully," said Latias. "Now my turn! Last night, I did a little snooping about, and I found the blue orb."

"Oh? Looks like Kiu's info was all accurate," said Nauki.

"Where is it?"

"In Kai'a'a's house. Yeah, I know, not the most convenient for it to be, but I did snatch the red orb right out of Ikaika's room semi-successfully. If we really have a two-hour window, we should be able to get it all done. I'll take care of the planning. In the meantime, both of you keep investigating Kai'a'a. Try and figure out exactly what his deal is. If we play our cards right, this'll all be over in a week."


	10. The Cave of Origin

**Chapter Nine: The Cave of Origin**

* * *

Ikaika Flygon sat at the top of Mt. Chimney, dangling her legs over the volcano's cone as she stared at the sky. She kept an eye on the cable car station, wondering when her brother might come out with word of Kyogre's stronghold, Saital and the mudkip alongside him.

 _You are losing focus._

"Hm?" Ikaika said. "I'm not losing focus. Soon as Nauki tells me where the Sea Monster is, I'll go and give 'im hell."

 _You await the trapinch, not the word he may bring._

"I await them both," Ikaika argued. "Trust me, all I want is to defeat the Sea Monster. That's the goal."

 _And afterwards?_

The question took her aback. "Wh-what?"

 _And afterwards? What might you do next?_

"Oh, well, uhh…" Ikaika fished for the right answer. "I don't know. Do I have to think about the future? I like to focus on the here and now." She ignored the pair of tourists eyeing her.

 _Would you return to Lavaridge as the trapinch wishes of you?_

"…"

 _Or perhaps remain with our worshippers?_

"Do we have to talk about this?"

 _Would you remain by my side?_

Ikaika smiled. "What, you want me to?"

 _You are useful._

Ikaika blushed and fell back, laying down with her legs still dangling and her wings flopping at her sides. "I knew you liked me, but I didn't know you liked me so much you'd want me to stay," she giggled. "I understand you better and better every day, huh?"

 _You understand nothing._

Ikaika laughed. "Oh, psssh. I love you, ya know, and you love me. We're two peas in a pod, Groudon. Plusle and minun."

 _You know nothing of love._

When Ikaika would remember this conversation in the future, she would recall Groudon's tone as joking instead of harsh. "I know how to love," she argued. "People just don't know how to love me."

Groudon was silent. Ikaika figured it would be the last she'd hear from him today, but she found herself longing for just one more sentence, one more word. "What, no comment?"

Silence.

Ikaika snickered. "You're just mad because you know I'm right."

* * *

Kai'a'a Kingdra was having a good day.

Lord Kyogre was having an awful day.

The legendling stood in his favorite place in the entire world, the Cave of Origin. It was his place, his special place. He had awoken in Seafloor Cavern, but he knew for certain that this was still his place. This is the place where he would attain the ultimate power lost to time.

Yet he did not know how.

Kai'a'a stared at the engravings on the wall, his frustration rising to a boiling point. For hours he had stared at the ancient writing that took up the entire wall of the cave. He knew it held the secrets he so direly needed. He knew it would tell him how to unlock the power of the blue orb. Yet the barrier of language stood in his way, unyielding and eternal.

"Why?" murmured Kai'a'a. Then his voice rose to a shout. "Why can we not read it?! Why do these letters continue to elude us?!"

Kai'a'a winced as a headache sliced through him sharp as a knife, and hazy memories suddenly came rising to the surface. Memories he thought he had long forgotten, yet they always returned, bringing pain. An ache spread through his heart like a gray fog, if he even had one of those anymore.

"We used to be able to read," Kai'a'a murmured, "but we've forgotten how."

 _I have never found use for letters. I speak only the language of combat._

That voice again. "Truly? Were we never able to read?" Kai'a'a asked. Silence was his response, and before he knew it, the memory was slipping away. It was as elusive as the memory of a dream, there for a moment and then gone forever, leaving only a void. "No, we could never read. We are Kyogre, and Kyogre does not read."

Kai'a'a continued to stare at the meaningless letters. He knew it was fruitless. No matter how long he stared, they would not suddenly make sense. "How are we ever going to obtain the power of the ages and destroy the Usurper if we cannot unlock the secrets of the sapphire orb? All our plans have failed thus far. The goldeen we sent to discover our enemy's legendling never returned. The worshippers we ordered to bring us our treasures from the City of Slateport failed. Is our battle unending? Will we be locked in endless combat with the Usurper forever, until the world is ravaged and even the One of the Skies cannot escape the destruction?"

 _If need be. The Usurper must be defeated._

Kai'a'a turned away from the writing. "Yes, we must defeat the Usurper in his flygon skin. It is the only way."

 _The only way for what?_

Kai'a'a was so startled he nearly leaped right into the nearby water. That voice was not Kyogre's. It was different. Whose was it? _It was familiar,_ he thought. Then it hit him. _Was it… our own?_

Kai'a'a's head exploded in pain. "Agh!" he cried, collapsing onto the gray stone floor. Images flashed before his eyes, so fast they were only there for a fraction of a second, yet he saw them all.

A seaking without a face, laughing.

A town floating on the open sea.

Death.

A maze of streets.

Laughter.

Grief.

A house too full.

A tiny, blue light.

When the images subsided and slipped into oblivion, taking his headache along with it, Kai'a'a rose. "Again!" he shouted. "They always plague us, these memories that aren't ours. Whose are they? Where are they coming from? Why won't they leave us ALONE?!"

On his last word, the water beside him churned into stormy waves. Up above he heard the crash of thunder, and he jumped in fright. The need for intimacy overtook him suddenly. He needed someone, anyone, to touch him and hug him and tell him it was okay. But when he looked around, all he saw was an empty blue cave, elusive writing on the wall, and not a single pokémon in sight.

Kai'a'a sank onto the floor. "Is there no one who would love us?"

 _You do not need love. You need only me._

Kai'a'a nodded and rose again, and all traces of emotion washed away. "You are right. We are Kyogre. We do not love."

* * *

"And you're sure about this?!"

Lanakila Numel nearly squeaked in terror when Groudon grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her ferociously. "I, well, u-uhh… Yes, Lady Ikaika, I'm certain."

Ikaika dropped the informer and turned away, starting to pace back and forth across the red rock floor of Chimney Monastery. "I don't believe it," she murmured. Then suddenly, a smile appeared on her face, and she could hardly suppress the giggles bubbling up in her lungs. "Hahah! I don't believe it!" She whirled around, grabbed Lanakila, and spun her around in a clumsy dance. "I don't believe it, I don't believe it, I DON'T BELIEVE IT!"

"Lady Ikaika, with all due respect," Kahuna interrupted, "I must please ask you to set Lanakila down."

Ikaika laughed. "Hahah, sorry, Kahuna." She dropped Lanakila ungraciously and then grabbed Kahuna by the shoulders. "But do you _know what this means_?"

"I do, My Lady," Kahuna nodded.

Ikaika started to dance in circles again, this time without a partner. "We've got him! After all this time, we've finally got him! For years I've been trying to predict the Sea Monster's movements, to figure out some sort of schedule, but he was always completely unpredictable. But now, we've got him." She turned to Lanakila. "And you're absolutely sure his legendling will be in Mossdeep City in exactly a week?"

Lanakila nodded. "Yes, My Lady. I've been observing him for a good eight weeks now to make certain of it. He comes every two weeks for no more than two hours at a time."

"What does he even do there? Kill off all the ground- and fire-types he can find and feast on their flesh?" Ikaika wondered.

Lanakila shook her head. "He simply follows one pokémon around, a seaking."

Ikaika snorted. "Freak." She headed towards her bedroom door. "Thanks so much, Lanakila. And Groudon says thank you too!"

Lanakila bowed quickly. "I do it all for Lord Groudon, My Lady."

"Good girl. Keep doing what you're doing." She slipped into her room and shut the door behind her.

Now alone, Ikaika let loose the burst of joy that had been ticking since she'd heard the word. " _SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!_ " She made a grand leap onto her pile of pillows, sending them flying in all directions.

 _The Sea Monster has made an utter misstep. In one week, we shall fly to Mossdeep City, find him, and crush him along with the entire island._

Ikaika sighed. "You really have no tact, do you? Sure, we could just show up on Mossdeep and start rocking the ground, but it'd just turn into any ordinary battle. No, Groudon, this is our chance."

 _Enlighten me, then. My chance for what?_

"Look, here's the plan. We go to Mossdeep City, but we stay hidden, far away enough for the Sea Monster to not sense us. Then, when he leaves, we follow him. We follow him right to his stronghold, and when we get there… Well, let's just say the earth will roll."

Groudon was silent for a few moments. _This is a formidable plan. I approve of it._

"Of course you do!" giggled Ikaika. "Oh gosh, oh _gosh_! I'm so excited! This'll all be over within a week!"

 _I think not,_ argued Groudon. _The Sea Monster and I are equally matched. In order to triumph over him, we must unlock the red orb and attain the power lost to time._

She sighed. "Yeah, I know, I know. But we've looked and looked and looked, but it's gone! You can't even sense it anymore, can you?"

 _No. The red orb has been moved, somewhere far enough for me to lose sense of it. I suspect the mudkip. She is Sea Monster spawn. If any would swipe the red orb from me, it would be her._

Ikaika considered this. "Yeah… Yeah, I guess. But she was here for a while, and she didn't do anything."

 _She made acquaintances with the red sandshrew. I have not trusted that one since she walked through our door._

"Oh, come on. Saital's a good nun! She brought us lunch that one time."

 _That was three years ago._

"Well, it was yummy!" said Ikaika. "Okay, look. If the red orb has gone missing, I suppose Nalo Mudkip would be the prime suspect, but the thing is Nauki's with her. Nauki would never betray us ever. And Saital has proven her loyalty ten times over. There's only a thirty-three percent chance of betrayal in that trio. No, thirty-two."

 _Arithmetic is irrelevant in this situation. When we go to defeat the Sea Monster, we must search for the red orb as well. Start preparing yourself for betrayal, should it occur. I do not have time to waste on any resulting grief of yours._

Usually Ikaika responded well to her legendary's jokes, but today her lip quivered. "C-come on. You know Nauki wouldn't do something like that. He wouldn't… right?" When there was no response, she mumbled. "What's got into you today?"

 _I am Groudon. I am unchanging._

* * *

Nauki took a deep breath, but no matter what he did, his breath refused to stop trembling. In fact, he was trembling so badly it felt like Groudon was shaking the ground. Quietly so Nalo and Latias wouldn't hear him, he started to sing under his breath.

" _A trapinch came down the walk,_

 _With big teeth for the bite._

 _He took his lunch up in his mouth,_

 _And wouldn't let it-"_

"Singing that song again?"

Nauki spun around in fright at Nalo's shout. "N-no! I don't sing."

Latias looked up from the mirror. "Sweetie, you sing more than Meloetta at karaoke."

"What? Who's Meloetta? And I do not!"

Nalo laughed. "What's that song, anyway? It's always the same one."

"Oh, it's just an old trapinch nursery rhyme," Nauki explained, his denial forgotten. "Because Ikaika and I used to always sing it. We'd talk about flying away and going anywhere we wanted. I guess the song just brings me back to those times."

Latias squealed from the corner. "Awwwwww!"

"Shut up! It's not cute!" Nauki grumbled.

Nalo asked, "Do you think you and your sister will get to do what you planned someday?"

Nauki nodded with enthusiasm. "Of course! I mean, today's the day we finish this for good. Today, Groudon and Kyogre are going to bed. That means Latias can reunite with Latios, you get to go home to your family, and I get to have my sister back. Happy endings for everyone!"

"You know," said Nalo, "I wasn't extremely optimistic at first, but I actually did it. I only had thirty days to get the job done, and here I am with fourteen to spare."

Latias rolled over to them. "Why don't we save this chat for after we save Hoenn?" She placed the red orb before them. "You all remember the plan?"

"Of course." Nauki slipped the orb into the messenger bag hanging by his shoulder. "And what pokémon are you gonna be tonight?"

"Hmm," thought Latias. "I'll need something speedy, so why not go with…" Her body lit up in bright light, and when it dimmed, the spheal was replaced with a red ninjask with a white face and wings. "… the fastest pokémon in the entire world? Well, fastest except for Deoxys, but the fastest pokémon in the entire world that won't arouse suspicion."

"Not very cute, is it?" teased Nalo.

"Hey, shut up! This is important. As soon as we get this done, I'll be a cute little spheal again," grumbled Latias.

Nauki glanced at the rusted clock on the wall, which had been buried in dust until Wahine had engaged it in battle. When he saw the time, he leaped to his feet. "Shoot, guys! We have to move! Kai'a'a should be leaving any minute now."

"Let's GO!" exclaimed Nalo. The three pokémon headed out of the house and ran down to the shore. As soon as Kai'a'a vanished under the surface of the lake and left Sootopolis, the plan to return Groudon and Kyogre to their slumber would commence. The fate of the world hung in this very moment.

* * *

Kai'a'a left his house to see two of his priests, the sharpedo and one of the nidorinos, stationed outside. "Do not move from this spot until we return, do you hear?"

"Yes, Lord Kyogre. You have our word," said the nidorino.

"Very well. Should you fail in your duty, we shall freeze you into ice and shatter your bodies upon the stones." Ignoring the priests trembling, Kai'a'a moved onto the water and slipped under the waves.

 _Why do you continue to waste time visiting the City of Mossdeep?_ The voice demanded.

"We must."

 _You must defeat the Divider. Your personal gains mean nothing._

"We know. We are Kyogre."

Traveling to Mossdeep City didn't take long for the Drowned God. The currents bent to his will and carry him wherever he wished, no matter what their prior engagements were. As Kai'a'a swam through the sea, the magikarps, chinchous, and clamperls bowed to him as he passed. They did not know who he was truly, but their souls told them that he was a pokémon they ought to respect, and that was enough.

He arrived in Mossdeep City in half an hour, a journey that would have taken two days for a common pokémon. He moved onto the beach and up the stone stairs to the city. Mossdeep was perhaps the largest city of Kyogran Hoenn, for islands did not provide as much space for building as the earth of Groutian Hoenn did. There were plenty of houses with all sorts of types walking around, even some ground- and rock-types, but what they had in common was they all worshipped him. Kai'a'a climbed up onto the first house he came across and waited… and waited.

And then she came. The pokémon he came here to see week after week. A seadra left the house, a smile brightening her face and a hot pink bag hanging on her neck. Kai'a'a immediately felt his heart melt. His life was nothing but the cold and loneliness and Kyogre, and emotions were a rare occurrence, but here in Mossdeep City, emotions lost to time always sprang back to him. Joy, hopefulness, maybe even something that could be called love.

"Heyo!"

Both the seadra and Kai'a'a looked up to see a lotad and a kirlia approaching. He knew these two. They often hung around the seadra, usually giggling and talking about boys. He couldn't understand their passion for it, but their smiles made his chest bloom with warmth.

"Oh, hey hey, Liliko'i, Palama!"

The lotad, Liliko'i, said, "You ready to hit the Mart? The sale ends at sunset, so we gotta hurry."

"Duh, girl! Let's move!" The trio headed off into town.

As Kai'a'a followed them, images flashed before his eyes, but they did not come with pain in Mossdeep. They came flowing back gently like a stream, bringing joy and longing with them. He saw a seadra piggybacking a little horsea across a log bridge, both of them giggling. He saw the same two children climbing a tree in Mossdeep and dangling from its branches by their curled tails. He saw them coming out victorious from a battle with a couple of schoolboys, and the horsea jumped into the seadra's fins, nuzzling him affectionately.

When Kai'a'a thought of the horsea and looked down at the seadra he was currently stalking, a flicker of familiarity resonated through him. _Perhaps this seadra is the horsea from the memories,_ he wondered. _Then could the seadra be us?_

He waited a bit for the voice to respond, but its silence spelled out its complete indifference to the matter.

 _Then that would make this pokémon our sister. But the Drowned God cannot have family. We are a creature of the seas and nothing more._

The seadra and her companions disappeared into a white building with a blue roof, and Kai'a'a shrank in disappointment. _Will she be long?_ he wondered. Sometimes when she entered a building and evaded his sight, she only stayed in for a minute or two. Other times, she remained away so late he had to leave without seeing her again. As he waited atop the roof, more possibly false memories came and went. He and his sister eating ice cream at a parlor. He and his sister dressed in funeral garb as they watched a coffin sink into the water. He and his sister watching the town that floated on the sea grow farther and farther away. Him teaching his sister how to dive properly, and them making a game out of it as they searched for Kyogre.

 _But how can we search for Kyogre if we are Kyogre? We don't understand,_ Kai'a'a thought. But his thoughts fled and were replaced by joy when the seadra and her friends reemerged from the shop, now carrying six bags each.

"Thanks so much for paying, Liliko'i. I don't know what I'd do without you," she said.

"It ain't no trouble! So long as I get to have a shopping spree with my best two girlfriends, it's whatever," said the lotad with a shrug. "Even though it's raining again."

"Ugh, I know," the seadra groaned.

"Say," interrupted the kirlia. "Heard any news about your brother yet?"

 _Brother?_

The mood suddenly became as dim as the weather. "No," the seaking mumbled. "Nothing. Four years, and nothing."

"I just don't understand it," sighed the kirlia. "How does someone just vanish like that?"

The lotad growled, "Hey, Palama, maybe you wanna shut up just about now?"

"No, it's fine," the seadra muttered. "I guess it's good to talk about it. Catharsis and all that."

"Are you okay, sweetie?"

"Do you wanna have a sleepover tonight? Maybe I can get a little pecha wine to sample."

The seadra sniffed. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Kai'a'a was shocked by his overwhelming sense of guilt. _Why do we feel like this? What have we even done to this seadra? We ought to smash her head in for annoying us._

He didn't.

* * *

 _Why does he not move?_

"Don't know," Ikaika responded inattentively. Now was not the time to pay attention to the impatient legendary in her chest. She watched the kingdra on the top of the house with great interest. This was the first time she had ever been close to the Sea Monster without fighting him, and now that she actually knew what the enemy she had faced for four long years even looked like, her interest was piqued. "Why is he so interested in that little seadra?"

 _Perhaps they are in relation._

"Oh… Oh!" Ikaika wanted to slap herself for not thinking of it. "I never really thought about that."

 _About what?_

"About Kyogre's legendling. I mean, he could have family just like me, people he misses, memories he'd rather forget," murmured Ikaika.

 _Enough sympathy. That is the Sea Monster, and he is our enemy. You must slay him without mercy._

"Oh, I will, no doubt," said Ikaika. "It's just so weird. I wonder if he thinks of me as some psycho beast too. Hey, wouldn't it be so cliché if his little sister and Nauki fell in love? That'd be some star-crossed lover stuff."

 _A Groutian trapinch would never condescend to romance with Sea Monster spawn._

"Oh, you're no fun," Ikaika giggled. She glanced at the pocket watch she'd taken with her. "About an hour left. This all ends in an hour."

* * *

Nauki couldn't help but feel guilty as he and Nalo approached the two priests standing guard at the Cave of Origin. He knew they were just trying to do their jobs and be good priests, and Kai'a'a would probably have their tails when he got back. _This is for the good of Hoenn,_ he reminded himself. _We don't have a choice._

The first priest, a mightyena, snarled at them. "You two, turn back. Only Lord Kyogre may enter the Cave of Origin."

"Yeah?" Nalo smirked. "Well not today."

When her water gun hit the linoone square in the chest, battle erupted. Nauki dove underground, waited a few seconds, and then burst out of the earth, tackling the mightyena. He felt the mightyena bite into his shoulder and yelped, but he retaliated with a feint attack. When he heard Nalo shout, "Incoming!" he sprung out of the way and watched as her surf submerged the two priests and washed them into the river. They were no match.

Nauki turned his attention to the door. It was made of thick white ice covered in crackling rime, no doubt ready to flash freeze any who laid a hand upon it. "Where's Latias?"

"She should be here soon."

Then they saw her. Latias was flying towards them at lightning speed only a ninjask could attain, the blue orb in her sticky legs. She was huffing and puffing. "This, huff… thing is so, huff… heavy!"

"Give it to me!" Nauki insisted, opening his bag.

"Wait, but you're a Groutian. You can't hold the blue orb," said Latias. But Nauki stepped forward and took it right out of her hands. Latias winced, as if she were expecting him to explode, but nothing happened as he plopped the orb into his bag.

"What?" Nauki said when he saw their stares. "I hate Groudon as much as Kyogre does."

"Understandable," nodded Latias. "Now let's get this door open, shall we?" She inhaled a great breath of air, and when she exhaled, it came out as a ferocious roar of pinkish purple dragon fire. The flames licked at the ice, and in no time, Kai'a'a's unbeatable door of death was reduced to no more than a puddle of water. The Cave of Origin was open.

"Hey! What's going on down there?"

"Oh shoot. We gotta move!" With Latias leading the charge, the trio ran into the cave.

The first thing they saw upon entry was a long hallway and steps leading down into inky darkness at the end, lit only by torches of white-blue fire. Nauki, Nalo, and Latias raced down the hall, ignoring the intricate cave drawings around them, and dove down into the depths of the cave.

"Will the priests follow us?" Nauki asked.

"No way. Kai'a'a told them not to go in. They'd rather let us have a piece of whatever the hell is down here than disobey him," responded Nalo.

"Good thing."

They arrived at the bottom of the steps and found themselves in an enormous, near pitch-black cave. There was a wide trail that spiraled downwards along the sides. At the very bottom, seemingly miles below the earth, were faint red and blue lights.

"Down there!" Latias lit up and transformed into a braviary, known for their agility and finesse. With her coloring, she almost looked like an ordinary pokémon. "Get on!"

Nauki and Nalo hopped on without hesitation. Latias spread her feathered wings, and before Nauki knew it, they were in the air and sailing down toward the lights. "Wooohoooo!" he cheered.

"Beats walking!" Nalo agreed.

They were at the ground in seconds. Nauki and Nalo clambered off her back, and Latias transformed back into a ninjask. As soon as the light from her change died down, Nauki took a look around. There were two cave mouths, one on either side of them. The left was overflowing with fiery red light and heat. The right blasted an icy chill accompanied by dark blue light.

"Looks like magma on one side and cold ocean on the other," said Nalo. "Kai'a'a would be more interested in what's on Kyogre's side. We should go that way."

"But what if what we need isn't there?" worried Nauki.

"Then we come back and try the other! We don't have time to argue about this," said Nalo. "Latias, what do you say?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," she shrugged. Nalo took the initiative and led the way into Kyogre's cave.

They were met with what looked like a small ocean deep under the earth, radiating blue light. Nalo ran to the edge and peered into the depths. "There's some sort of entrance down there. We'll have to dive."

"My favorite kind of thing to do in water." Latias transformed into a floatzel with a red body and a white belly and ring.

Nauki clambered onto Nalo's back. "Let's go!" The three pokémon dove in.

Nauki was so startled he nearly choked. The water was _freezing_! He felt as if he had just walked out of a furnace and into a snowdrift in the wintertime with Regice strangling him. He hugged Nalo, hoping to share any warmth she might have, but considering her shivering, she was as cold as he was. So instead, he turned his attention to the black mouth waiting for them to swim inside so it could gobble them up.

 _A trapinch came down the walk,_

 _With big teeth for the bite…_

And then they were through.

Nalo and Latias swam up to the surface and clambered up onto the blue-gray rocky shore. Nauki sighed with relief, though he had to admit the air in here was not much warmer.

"Where _are_ we?" Nalo murmured aloud.

Nauki looked around, and his jaws dropped in amazement. They were on a thin piece of land that stretched out into the center of the water-filled room. Surrounding them were the five largest waterfalls Nauki had ever seen. They were nearly as tall as the White Mountain itself, and they filled the room with a dark blue glow. Hanging above them from the ceiling were five enormous, blue crystals each as large as a house, and smaller blue crystals covered the ceiling around them. The air was flowing with blue, pulsing energy that seemed to culminate under the five enormous crystals. The energy was so powerful Nauki could feel it deep in his chest, like a sound so low one could only feel it, not hear it.

"What is this place?" he asked Latias.

"I've heard rumors about it," Latias whispered, her gaze not breaking from the five crystals. "This must be Kyogre's well of power. This is the place where he can attain his primal form." She turned her attention elsewhere. "There! Inscriptions!" She ran across the island towards the wall, where Nauki noticed a huge wall of foreign writing, with an alpha and an omega at the top. He and Nalo followed her over.

Latias glanced at the script. "I keep catching the word orb."

"You can read that?" Nalo gasped.

"I can read anything. Now, listen carefully and get this all down. This text right here will tell us how to return Groudon and Kyogre to their sleep…"

* * *

Ikaika was so excited she could fly to the moon and faint at the same time. Here she was, perched atop the White Mountain, where she had just seen Kyogre's legendling vanish into. At first she'd thought she had lost him, until Groudon explained an old rumor of a secret, underwater entrance.

"A pretty good spot, I gotta admit,"Ikaika said. "But now the sun's shining down on the White Mountain, and it will stand no longer. Time to die, Sea Monster!"

She lifted her foot and slammed it down on the peak.

Under her, the rock of the mountain reverberated, rippling like water on a pond. The White Mountain shook with tremors, and cracks appeared in its surface. First they were mere hairline fractures, but then they grew wide as Groudon's talons, and then wider.

The White Mountain crumbled beneath her.

Down below, Kai'a'a ignored the panicked shrieks of the Sootopolians and the irritating praying of the priests as fragments the size of houses rained down on the Secret City. His eyes narrowed in disgust as blistering sunlight shone in through the cracks, growing more and more intense as the cap of the White Mountain opened up, and Sootopolis City was a secret no longer. The voice in his head screeched, _Fool! You led him right to you! You're a FOOL!_ He ignored it today. It would not help him now that it was time to fight for his life.

Then he saw her.

Groudon's legendling came plummeting into his stronghold, riding atop the most enormous fragment of them all. She had a wicked, bestial grin on her face as she leaped, waving her arms so an island rose to meet her. "Guess who's here!"

A gyarados priest approached Kai'a'a. "Lord Kyogre, what should we do?"

"We could care less what you do. Live if you want, or die if you cannot. Now is the time for combat." Kai'a'a rose up an eight-foot wave and rode it to where his age-old enemy, the Divider, the Usurper, awaited him. He had erred in the greatest way possible. No doubt he had led her right to him. Now was the time to fix his mistake.

 _Protect the Cave of Origin, or I shall take over and do it myself,_ the voice barked.

"We shall," Kai'a'a promised.

Ikaika glanced away from Kyogre's legendling for a moment when she heard Groudon speak. _The red orb is here. I sense it._

"Where?"

 _The cave behind the tree. It is the Cave of Origin, the well of power of the Sea Monster and I. The red orb is below, along with the blue. Push past the One Who Drowned the World, enter the cave, and retrieve it. Defeating the Sea Monster must be our second priority, understand?_

"Gotcha. Red orb, here I come," murmured Ikaika. Kai'a'a arrived, and the battle commenced.

* * *

Nauki yelped in fright when earthquakes erupted in the cave, knocking all three pokémon to the ground.

"What the hell was that?" Nalo asked as the quake subsided.

An enormous _BOOM_ from above responded.

Latias got to her flipper feet. "Is there a fight going on outside or something?"

Another earthquake rippled across the ground, and around them the gentle waves of the lake started to churn up into storm waves. Latias's eyes widened. "Don't tell me Groudon's here."

"Ika? But how could she be here? She doesn't know where Kyogre lives," Nauki said.

"Maybe she found out somehow, or one of her informers told her. I have no idea, but if she's here, this situation just got a whole lot more dangerous. We gotta read this, and fast," said Latias. "Nauki, get those two orbs out here. Both of you hold them and make sure they don't go rolling."

"Got it." Nauki handed the blue orb to Nalo, and the two pokémon set them down before Latias. Another earthquake struck the ground, and Nauki felt the red orb start to slip out of his grasp, so he practically tackled the thing and held it to the ground.

"Hurry up, won't you?!" Nalo snapped.

"Okay, okay, I'm going!" Latias said. And she began to read.

* * *

Up above, the battle raged.

Ikaika could not stop the flow of giggles escaping from her mouth. She was locked in combat, but she felt more like she was dancing at the world's most exclusive ball. Here she was, in Kyogre's stronghold, right on top of Groudon's well of power. She had the element of surprise on her side, and despite being surrounded by water, the earth did not fail to respond to her call. The agonized cries of the civilians caught in their fighting fell on deaf ears. All Ikaika could hear was her own elation.

Kai'a'a lifted three columns of water, like blue, writhing snakes, and launched them at her. She lifted a wall of white rock to block the blow and launched it at Kai'a'a, who dodged in an elegant spin and sent surge after surge at her. Ikaika danced out of the way and rose up an army of boulders large as a mamoswine, sending them all sailing in Kai'a'a's general direction.

Realizing an elegant dodge would not serve, Kai'a'a sprang out of the way, riding up into the air on a column of water. Ikaika smirked. "You won't get away from me that easy!" and charged after him on a pillar of molten earth. The two rose into the air, firing rocks and ice and magma and water along the way, and around them, the storm raged. Hurricane force winds carrying sheets of steel rain and icy sleet rocketed around them, accompanied by sandstorms and sunlight fit for a blistering desert. The civilians of Sootopolis felt its wrath, crying out as destruction and death fell around them, but Groudon and Kyogre knew only their hatred.

Ikaika pushed forward, relentless in her assault of earth and sand and flame, and she giggled with glee as Kai'a'a dropped backwards. _The cave is MINE!_ She pushed him back, down towards the ground again, searching for an opportunity to knock the Sea Monster aside and get into the Cave of Origin, back to her orb.

Kai'a'a's anger was bubbling to a dangerous level. First Groudon had tracked him back to his stronghold from Mossdeep City, a fatal error that the voice refused to let him forget, and now she was forcing him on the defensive. It was the Cave of Origin she wanted, he knew. He had seen the entrance to Groudon's well of power next to his own, though it was impossible for him to reach and tamper with. He had yet to figure out how to unlock the power from his own, but if Groudon knew and was prepared to do it, he would be defeated as soon as she stepped under the crystals. The world would become the land-locked, desert kingdom of the Divider.

And with that thought, Kai'a'a's anger bubbled over and surged out of him like a great rocket. With an immense roar so loud it caused Ikaika to falter for a moment, he came surging forward with all the power of the ocean. A wave that could drown Mt. Chimney rocketed upwards and came crashing down on his opponent, solidifying her pedestal of molten earth and knocking her down towards the water.

Kai'a'a didn't hesitate for a second. He raced after her on his flowing pillar of water, firing beams of ice with each turn of his body. Falling and unable to dodge, Ikaika screamed in pain as a spear of ice collided with her shoulder, sending red blood spurting from the wound. He smiled. _The Usurper can bleed… which means she can die._ He rocketed forward, readying a spinning column of water that would soon be sharpened to a point. As soon as the spear was sharp enough, he froze it into deadly ice that could impale even Groudon's armored body. As Ikaika fell, he shouted, "Prepare for your doom, Earthshaker! The world is ours!" and launched the spear of ice straight for her chest.

It was going. Had this battle been occurring in Mossdeep, he might've felt a surge of joy as his deadly projectile sailed for his longtime enemy's heart. The world seemed to slow as the spear and Ikaika grew closer and closer and closer… and then it happened.

Just when the spear was only a hair's width from her chest, Ikaika reached up and grabbed it. Kai'a'a froze, a look of pure shock on his face. Ikaika met his gaze and smirked, her eyes flickering with a furious bloodlust that would put fear in even the bravest hearts. Her claws clenched the spear of ice, which would have immediately given frostbite to any other pokémon in the world. Their eyes still locked together, Ikaika tightened her grip, and the ice spear shattered.

She wasted not a single second. She came rocketing forward with all the might of the earth behind her. A great pillar of white stone as tough as diamond came spiraling up from the bottom of the sea, and before Kai'a'a could even react, it smacked him in the chest and sent him flying upward. Kai'a'a gasped as the air was completely knocked out of him, and for a few seconds, as he went sailing up into the sky, he completely forgot who he was.

Ikaika grinned and whooped, "Yeehaw!" as Kyogre's legendling went flying upwards.

 _Not a moment to lose! The cave!_ Groudon exclaimed.

"Yep, on it!" replied Ikaika. While Kai'a'a sailed high enough to touch the Breathing Star, Ikaika moved across the water on a molten island and arrived at the cave. A couple of Kyogran priests were guarding the outside. One of them was smart enough to run with his tail between his legs, but the other stood his ground. He did not live much longer, and the entrance was clear.

Up above, Kai'a'a had just begun to fall.

 _YOU FAILURE OF A LEGENDLING! CATCH YOURSELF AND GET THE EARTHSHAKER OUT OF THE CAVE OR I SHALL TAKE YOU OVER AND DO IT MYSELF!_

That was enough for Kai'a'a to reorient himself. A pillar of water came zooming up from the sea and caught him in his flight, bringing him down safely to the ground at breakneck speed. He saw the dead guard outside the Cave of Origin and knew he was too late.

 _Or perhaps not yet._ Water at the ready, Kai'a'a rushed into the cave after his enemy.

* * *

Deep in the depths of the Cave of Origin, trying to ignore the earthquakes and booming above, Latias finally began to read.

"'Welcome, Kyogre. Welcome, Bringer of Rain, Raiser of Colossal Waves, Wraith of the Depths, and Creator of the Seas. Here in this cave of old, thou may reignite the power lost to time, the power too great for this time. 'Tis a power that would bring torrential rains to sweep the globe and raise waves the size of mountains to drown those who defy you. 'Tis a power that would drown the world and make it your domain once more. Through this cave, the Drowned God may unlock his body of old and once again become Primal Kyogre.'"

"But we want the exact opposite of that!" Nauki exclaimed.

Latias shot him a glare. "I'm still going!" She got back to it. "'The power of thy prime may be unlocked by bringing the Orb of Sapphire to the five-point crystal that rests at the top of the well. Should the Orb absorb the energy that flows throughout, your primal form shall be unlocked. Once the Orb has absorbed the energy of old, thy primal form may be unleashed in any place you desire.'

"'At the same time, the Orb of Sapphire may also absorb the energy of Groudon the Earthshaker. Should it do so, the power shall become opposite. Upon release, the Earthshaker shall be weakened and forced to return to his slumber, and the world shall be yours from here on.'"

Latias paused, and a grin slowly widened on her face. The three pokémon all met eyes, their glee building, until Nauki finally unleashed it.

"Woooo _hooooo!_ " he cheered. "Guys, this is it! We know how to put Groudon and Kyogre to sleep! The red orb has to absorb Kyogre's energy, and the blue orb has to absorb Groudon's. Then once we release them, they'll go back to sleep, and the world will be saved!"

"Yes! We've done it! High five!" Nalo sang.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"

Nauki squealed in fright. He knew that voice anywhere. _No! No, no, NO!_

Ikaika flew into the room, but for a moment, Nauki didn't even recognize her. Her eyes had gone black with fury and bloodlust like that of a wild beast, and her sides heaved with rage. Her right shoulder and her left hand were dripping with blood, but in her anger, she didn't even seem to notice.

Nalo immediately jumped in front of Nauki, who was still clutching the red orb. "Not another step closer, or I'll take you on myself."

Ikaika snarled. "Nalo. I suspected you all along. My mistake for letting you into my monastery." She then saw the red and white floatzel. "Saital? But weren't you a sandshrew?" Then she laughed humorlessly. "Oh, I get it. Latias in my monastery, right under my nose. Looks like I let two traitors slip right by me. Too bad you're all going to die now." Two fireballs ignited in her claws. "Now that you've told me how to unlock the power of the red orb, I can achieve my primal form and wipe out my enemies once and for all." She stepped forward. "Now step aside."

"NO!" Nauki pushed past Nalo, much to her shock, and stood between them. "Ika, stop!"

When their eyes met, Nauki felt like he wanted to die. Slowly, it registered in her eyes. First shock, then confusion… and then agonizing grief. "N-Nauki? What are you doing here with these _traitors_?"

"Ikaika, please listen-"

"No," she murmured. Her eyes were wide and welling with tears. "Y-you're with them? You betrayed me too?"

"No, I didn't betray you! I'm doing this _for_ you!" Nauki cried. "Don't you see? Groudon's killing you! He stole you away from me and threw you in the middle of his war, and he's having you do all his dirty work. He's a parasite! You don't understand?"

Ikaika was silent for a moment, and Nauki could only watch as her shaking, grief-stricken body became replaced with that of a savage, infuriated animal. She stormed forward until she was towering over Nauki, and for an instant, he expected his sister to attack him. "No, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! Groudon isn't invading me! He's the only one who understands me! He's my only friend in the entire world! I thought you were too, but then you BETRAYED ME!"

Nauki was too frightened to respond, but he was saved the trouble of doing so when Kai'a'a burst out of the water.

Ikaika whirled around, "WHAT, YOU WANT ROUND TWO?!"

"Save your breath," Kai'a'a spat. "We heard the Eon Dragon speak as well. Now that we both know how to achieve our primal forms once again, let us finish our age-old battle, but not here. In Lilycove City, where the land meets the sea, our duel shall end. A battle of epic proportions between Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre."

Ikaika narrowed her eyes. "And why shouldn't I just kill you now?"

"Have you so quickly forgotten you stand in our well of power, with the Orb of Sapphire present? We could unlock our primal form and crush you in an instant. Or you may take your Orb of Ruby, accept our challenge, and meet us for the final confrontation in thirteen days."

Ikaika glared at him and turned to Nauki. "Step aside."

Nauki held his ground. "But Ika-"

"I said STEP ASIDE!"

Suddenly, the earth shifted under Nauki and Nalo, and they were thrown across the island, leaving the two orbs completely unguarded. Nauki tried to move, but water surged onto him and froze, locking him in place. Ikaika stepped towards the red orb.

"Ika, listen to me, please! You don't need to do th-this!" Nauki wailed, his voice quivering. "Let me send him away! I can save you! P-please!" His voice was lost to a sob that racked his body, and he continued in a whispered voice. "P-please. I-I just… I just want my s-sister back. Please."

But when he looked up, Ikaika held the red orb in her claws. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked at the boy who had once been her only friend, and she murmured, "If I ever see you again, I'll kill you." She lifted her claws, forming a tunnel through the roof of the Cave of Origin right into the air. Flapping her wings, Ikaika flew up and was gone.

Now alone, Kai'a'a turned his seething gaze on them. "You three… You came into our stronghold and swore your loyalty to us, yet you sought to steal our orb and seal us away to sleep." Three columns of water rose up behind him. "Prepare to die."

The water came rushing forward like projectiles in hurricane winds, but just as Nauki braced himself for death, the water didn't come. He looked up to see Latias standing before them, weakened and soaked to the bone but alive. "Don't you touch my friends, Kyogre."

Kai'a'a snarled in rage. "HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO _US_ IN SUCH AN INSOLENT TONE?! WE WILL SMITE YOU WHERE YOU STAND, EON DRAGON!"

Latias simply replied with a sweet smile. "You'll have to catch me first!"

She transformed again, and though Nauki did not recognize this pokémon, he knew in his heart that this was the true form of Latias.

She was beautiful, and at the same time adorable. Her body was covered in glass-like down that seemed to always be shifting and refracting light in all directions. Looking at her was like looking through a kaleidoscope. The upper half of her body was snow white, the lower half cherry red. She had a long neck and a round face with a red pentagon in between her big, yellow eyes. She had two white horns on her head, a blue triangle on her chest, and massive, jet-like wings stretching out from her sides. She had fin-like feet and armored arms equipped with three claws. Latias was a sight to behold.

Latias turned and engulfed Nauki and Nalo in dragon fire. Nauki winced for a moment, expecting to be burned alive, but he noticed the fire only licked the ice entrapping them. In seconds, it was melted away. "Get on!" Latias ordered.

Nauki and Nalo had no arguments. They dashed forward and leaped onto the legendary's back. "Hang on tight, you hear?" Latias called.

"How _dare_ you?! We are Kyogre! We will fill your lungs with our seawater and cast you to the depths of the ocean where the corals will feast on your flesh!" Kai'a'a roared.

"Catch me if you caaan!" Latias sang. And just like that, she was off.

Nauki was so startled he nearly went flying off her back. He'd known Latias could fly fast, but she was flying _fast._ They were traveling at such speeds they could outpace tornado winds, and Nauki had to bite down on Latias's tender down with his teeth just to avoid getting thrown off. Nalo clutched onto her horns, screaming, "AAAAAAH!" They dove into the icy water and came up on the other side so quickly Nauki was not even wet.

They heard a _BANG_ behind them, and Nauki glanced back to see Kyogre in pursuit on a pillar of water, his jaws wide in a ferocious roar. "We've got company!" Nalo yelled.

"On it!" Latias called. They zoomed up through the Cave of Origin, flew through the entry hall so quickly the torches went flying, and burst out into Sootopolis.

Nauki hardly had time to look around, but the things he did catch struck him with grief like a lightning bolt. The Secret City lay in ruins. The cone of the White Mountain had been opened up, no doubt by his own sister, and the storm that had raged afterwards had laid the houses and streets to waste. He spotted his own house completely obliterated by a fragment of the mountain, and he could hardly accept the fact that the waaliona he had owned since he could first walk was destroyed beyond repair. He saw blood spattering the white stone and gore littering the paths. When he saw a zigzagoon crushed by a gigantic rock near the shore, a feather duster floating on the water beside her, he was forced to look away.

Then Kai'a'a burst out of the cave, sending shards of rock flying in all directions, and Nauki's attention was directed elsewhere. He roared, sending shard after shard of ice after them, but Latias dodged all of them with elegance, and soon the White Mountain was falling farther and farther behind.

But not far enough for them to not hear Kai'a'a's last words. "MARK OUR WORDS, EON DRAGON! SHOULD WE EVER SEE YOU AGAIN, YOU WILL FIND YOUR BODY IMPALED ON AN ICICLE, AND THE SAME FATE GOES TO YOUR PETS AS WELL."

Silence fell across the world, and Latias flew into the night. Up in the air, Nauki kept his face buried in the dragon's down. Being a ground-type, rooftops were about as high as Nauki could tolerate. Flying a thousand feet over sea level was simply too much for him.

On any ordinary night, Nalo would have let her paws fly free in the air and whooped with delight, but tonight, she lay limp as a corpse against Latias's neck. Nauki saw her body shaking, and when he listened closely, he could hear her crying.

Nauki knew he would do no good, but he tapped her and murmured, "Nalo, are you okay?"

Nalo whirled around and smacked him so hard Nauki almost fell right off of Latias. "Do you _think_ I'm okay?!" She turned and clutched Latias's feathers. "We failed! I failed! I've lost e-everything! Oh Kyogre… I-I…" Her voice collapsed into sobs.

Nauki looked away from her and watched the landscape go by. He didn't realize he was crying until he saw his own tear fall away to the earth. He tapped Nalo again. She whirled around and was about to smack him again, but when she saw the tears brimming from his onyx eyes, she opened her arms instead. Nauki crawled into her embrace, and thousands of feet above Hoenn, two children wept for all they had lost that night.


	11. 312 Hours Remain

**Chapter Ten: 312 Hours Remain**

* * *

Nauki woke up in a cloud.

As soon as that registered, he sprang to his feet, and that was when he noticed the grass underfoot. _Oh, not cloud. Just fog… Wait, where am I?_

Nauki looked around. If he squinted, he could just make out his surroundings. He was in a clearing in a tropical forest, encircled by a stream. Several waterfalls plopped into the stream, and both ends flowed southward. He could only just make out the sky through the foliage, and he couldn't imagine how shaded the forest around him must be.

"What is this place?" Nauki wondered aloud. "Why am I-"

They came crashing back to him with the force of a freight train. All his memories from last night rocketed to the surface of his mind. The Cave of Origin, the text on the walls, Ikaika and Kai'a'a, the decided battle in thirteen days, his betrayal, her betrayal, Latias's true form, escaping on Latias, failure. And Nauki's curiosity was completely swept away by a tidal wave of dread and grief.

"Oh, you're awake."

Nauki turned to see Latias, and he realized why he hadn't noticed her before. She had transformed into some sort of four-legged spider pokémon only four inches tall, with red fur and white feet. She looked about as downcast as Nauki felt.

"Yeah," he responded, and he was almost shocked by the thick emotion in his voice. "Where's Nalo?"

"Still asleep," mumbled Latias. "You guys were pretty knackered after last night, so I didn't wanna wake you."

Nauki didn't comment. "Where are we?"

"The Southern Island," she explained. "This is where my brother and I lived after Daddy cast us out. It's so high off the sea it's practically impossible to land here without flying, and it's a mirage island too. Nice and private."

Nauki noticed something stir in the mist, and he turned to see Nalo rising, who had been sprawled out on the dewy grass near the stream. She rubbed her bloodshot eyes halfheartedly. "Morning," Nauki called. She didn't respond.

Latias shifted awkwardly. "Why don't I find us some breakfast? I think Latios hid a cake around here somewhere." She scurried off.

Nauki looked at Nalo. She looked awful. Her usually bright blue skin had faded to a dingy blue-gray, her movements were halfhearted, and her eyes were bloodshot and had a lost look to them. He wondered if he looked any similar.

When Latias returned, she did not bring a cake, but instead three oran berries on her back. "Food!" she announced, her usual bubbliness returned as if she hoped it was contagious. She distributed the berries and took one for herself, but just as she was about to bite in, she noticed her companions were not touching their own. "Come on, guys. You gotta eat. I don't think any of us escaped unhurt."

Nalo muttered, "What does it matter?"

Latias sighed and approached her. "Nalo, sweetie, I know it's hard now, but-"

Her speech was abruptly cut off when Nalo snarled bestially, grabbed the oran berry, and chucked it into the stream with such force Nauki could feel the splash from halfway across the clearing. "Are you _kidding_ me?! Do you even understand the gravity of the situation?! We _failed_ , Latias. Failed. Now Hoenn- no, now the entire world is doomed, and I'm never going to see my family again!" She collapsed, for just the effort of yelling had drained her completely.

They were silent for a long while. Looking defeated, Latias crawled back to her own berry and chewed on it glumly, but she quit and set it aside with only a quarter of it eaten. And that was when Nauki had had enough. Boosting Pa'ani back up into his heart where she belonged, he ate his berry in one gulp, got to his feet, and said, "So, what's the plan?"

Latias shot him a _dude, not a good time_ look.

Nalo glared at him. "Did you not hear me, Nauki? It's over. We failed."

"No, it's not over, and honestly, I'm disappointed in you, Nalo," Nauki stated. That got her attention. "The Nalo I know would never just give up and quit when her secret mission isn't complete, or maybe I just don't know you as well as I thought. But I for one am not going to stop now."

"What else can we do? Ikaika and Kai'a'a have their orbs, they know how to unlock their primal forms, and they'd both kill us on sight before we could even get close to the orbs. There's no way it can be done," Nalo growled.

"I don't care. I believe in my happy ending, my sister's happy ending, and your happy ending, and I won't stop fighting until it's over. We have thirteen days left to do this. That's… hang on, that's…" He did a quick calculation in his head. "...312 hours! 312 hours remain, and I refuse to spend it sitting on my butt and waiting around for the apocalypse. I'll keep fighting until Groudon and Kyogre are fast asleep, my sister is saved, and you have your family back."

Nalo smiled just a bit, and Nauki had to physically stop himself from grinning ear to ear. "You think we can do it in just 312 hours?"

"I know we can," said Nauki. "Look, I know it looks really bad right now. Ika… Ika might never forgive me." He looked away to hide the tears threatening to ruin his speech, but Nalo didn't fail to notice. "But if I let Groudon use my sister as a puppet without trying to stop it, I'll really have failed her. Maybe one day she'll come to forgive me, and that would be wonderful, but right now if Ikaika got to live her own life on her own terms, that'd be a happy enough ending for me."

Nalo got to her feet. "Alright, Cousin. You've done the hope speech. What's your plan?"

"I, uh, don't have one," Nauki admitted.

Nalo chuckled and patted him on the head. "Of course you don't. Lucky for you lot, I'm here, and I think I've got one forming in my noggin."

"A plan? Really?" Nauki exclaimed. Latias shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, my dear, a plan. We've all heard the stories. Hell, Latias lived them. Whenever Groudon and Kyogre were messing up the world with their dumb fight, who was always the pokémon who came to stop them? Who never failed in getting two mindless beasts to listen, obey, and retreat? Who's the big guy who has reigned in Groudon and Kyogre time after time?"

"You don't mean-" Latias gasped.

"I do mean. We can't use the orbs? We don't need 'em. All we need on our side is the Kaulike Legendary."

Nauki gasped. "It's _perfect_! Nalo, this is our backup plan! We can find Sky Pillar, wake the Kaulike, and convince him to help us!" He and Nalo high fived.

Latias crawled between them and forced them apart. "Whoa, whoa. This is a bad plan. This is a no-go plan."

"What's wrong, Latias?" Nauki asked.

"Guys, I thought I made it clear that Daddy quit his job. Quit as in he doesn't care anymore, and two teeny common pokémon aren't gonna change his mind just because they come begging! Sky Pillar has been lost for thousands of years, and no one has found it because Daddy's made sure no one would ever find it. This is hopeless. Let's think up something else. Maybe we can call Latios, resume the infiltration."

"That'll never work, Latias. Latios might not even respond, and we don't have time to infiltrate again. We don't even know where Kai'a'a moved his stronghold to." Nalo narrowed her eyes. "You have an ulterior motive."

"What? No, I don't!" Latias exclaimed.

"Oh, I see. Last time you saw your dad, he banished you for slacking on the job. You're afraid of what he might do to you if you come knocking," Nalo observed.

"That isn't true!"

"Oh, Latias," said Nauki, "you're a different pokémon now. Once he sees how much you've changed and grown, I'm sure he'll forgive you."

Latias groaned. "Don't you see? He won't! Legendaries are different from you common pokémon! Changing our minds, our mindsets, and our worldviews is practically impossible. Why do you think Groudon and Kyogre just can't seem to get over an argument that started billions of years ago? I'm no different. Look at me! I'd rather be a joltik of all pokémon than my pretty normal self because I can't break a habit I started millennia ago. I haven't changed, and neither has Daddy. I assure you he will not help."

"Maybe," Nauki admitted, "but it's all we have."

Latias sighed and turned away from them. "If that's the case, then I'm afraid I can't help you anymore.

"What?" gasped Nalo.

"Latias, what do you mean?"

She turned. "I mean I won't assist you anymore. If you guys want to wake Daddy and drag another legendary pokémon into this, I don't want any part in it."

"Coward," Nalo spat.

Latias smiled sadly. "You're probably right," she murmured. "Look, let me take you guys to the mainland, to a place that will help you get started if you're really serious about this. After that, I leave you."

"But where will you go?" Nauki asked. He wiped his eyes.

"I don't know," Latias murmured. "Maybe Unova. I like Unova. Food is awful, though."

"So you're just gonna follow in your brother's footsteps. When the going gets tough, Latias flees overseas and pretends she'll actually escape the devastation Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre will bring to the world," growled Nalo.

"I'm a legendary. It's what we do."

Latias walked off, and the conversation faded. Nauki and Nalo took to packing, though the trapinch found it wasn't much use. All his belongings had been destroyed back in Sootopolis. Gone were all their money, his waaliona, all his sheet music, the food they had collected over their travels, his picture of Ikaika, and the red orb. All they had now was Nauki's bag and the leftover oran berries from breakfast, and even that was less than one.

"Should we get more money by joining a troupe?" Nauki joked to Nalo.

"Nah, let's steal it." He couldn't be certain of whether or not she was joking.

When they were as ready as possible, Latias transformed into a togekiss. "Shall we?"

Nalo and Nauki climbed onto her back for a last time. Soon as they were holding on tight, Latias flapped her wings, and they lifted up into the air.

 _Not as fast as her regular form,_ Nauki thought, _but I guess she really is too much of a coward to use it._

They flew for half an hour over the strip of mirage islands in southern Hoenn. As they went, Nauki looked back at the White Mountain, or what was left of it. So much of it had collapsed in on itself that it should be renamed the White Bowl. He wondered how the world would react when pokémon found the ruins of the Secret City in the crater. No doubt the explorers would have a field day in the Cave of Origin, and he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that.

He was shaken from his thoughts when Nalo spoke. "Why are you taking us towards Dewford?!"

"Okay, I know you're not meant to go back until you stop the storm, but technically you swore to stay away from Dewford Town, not the whole island," Latias said. "There really is something in Granite Cave that'll help you."

"Granite Cave? But it isn't safe. There are earthquakes and rockslides," said Nauki.

"Not anymore," said Latias. "Groudon and Kyogre are in a temporary truce, remember? At least until the end of the world in thirteen days. Granite Cave should hold."

"So long as it can actually last another day," added Nalo.

They arrived over Dewford, and Latias took them down right to the mouth of the cave. The three pokémon stood about awkwardly for a few moments, all thinking of something to say.

Latias was first to break the silence. "So-"

"So this is where you abandon us," Nalo finished.

Nauki stepped in between them and turned to Latias. "Thank you for all your help so far. We couldn't have come this far without you."

"Oh, don't lie. You could've gotten this far without my help, and you'll get farther without it," said Latias, still not meeting their gaze. "Good luck."

Nauki was about to wish her the same, but he stopped. What task would he wish her luck in? What would Latias even need luck for? So instead he said, "Thanks."

Latias turned to leave, but just as she was about to flap her wings, she stopped and turned again. "You know, I should tell you something. Something that might really help you on your mission."

"What is it?" Nalo asked.

"The Nameless God. His name was lost to time, but a pokémon isn't really nameless so long as there's someone around to remember it," she said. "His name is Rayquaza." And with that, Latias left.

* * *

As the duo walked through Granite Cave, Nauki felt half naked. It was like a book with pages but no words, or a hydreigon with two heads and one stump of a hand. It could still exist and work to an extent, but it could never be whole. And now their little group was a book without words and a hydreigon with two heads. Incomplete. He found himself jumping at any clattering stone or rustled sand, for any sudden noise could be bandits who could easily overwhelm them now that they lacked their third, more powerful part.

"Maybe we should've stopped her," Nauki murmured to Nalo, quietly so not to attract unwanted attention.

"You think we could've stopped her? She's a legendary pokémon," said Nalo, her voice laced with anger. "Of course, legendary pokémon have proven themselves useless when it comes to important things."

"Yeah," Nauki agreed. "She shouldn't have left us, not during the final countdown." A pause. "I still miss her, though."

Nalo was silent. Nauki understood.

Though Nauki was the ground-type and better equipped to traverse a cave, it was Nalo who led the way. She seemed to know Granite Cave like the back of her paw, even after its layout had been ravaged by four long years of quakes. She walked with an air of confidence. The crumbling ceiling and sliding stones meant nothing to her, even though if the cave collapsed on them, only Nauki could survive it.

As they continued through Granite Cave, Nauki took note of the diminishing light. It was not long before the light seldom reached them, and darkness ruled the depths of the cave. Nauki could see pretty well. Ground-types were well adapted to seeing in the dark, either by perfected night vision or no eyesight at all, while water-types' skills resided in making things out underwater and spotting miniscule changes in the different shades of blue, green, and gray. "Nalo, are you gonna be okay seeing and all?"

"Hm," Nalo thought. "I haven't really been past here. The dark part is where they used to mine, and I didn't wanna bring the twins there. They followed me like duckletts. You take the lead, then."

"M-me? Really?" Nauki gasped.

Nalo laughed and shoved him in front of her lightly. "Lead on, Cousin."

"Uh, okay then. Stay close," Nauki said, hoping to give off an air of confidence, though Nalo just giggled. He led the way deeper into the cave.

The deeper they went, the less Nauki noticed the aftereffects of Ikaika's work. Down here, pillars of rock supported the ceiling. Granite stalactites hung over them, certain to impale them cleanly should one fall. However, Ikaika was shackled by the truce today, and though Nauki did see several stalactites imbedded in the ground that made him nervous, the ones still hanging did not betray them.

Nalo was the first to see the light. "What's that up there?"

Nauki spotted it too. "There's an entrance. Perhaps an exit to the beach?"

She shook her head. "No, there's only one entrance to Granite Cave. The miners know it through and through, they would've noticed."

Nauki couldn't resist a smile. "Then let's go find out!" They jogged ahead and ran into the light.

They were not outside, as Nauki had predicted. Instead, they had reached the deepest part of Granite Cave, and what they found made Nauki's jaw drop. The ceiling and floor were completely covered in green vines growing strange orbs that emitted light like tiny suns. But even the mysterious orbs were not the most interesting things about the room.

Covering the wall were cave drawings older than the Kaulike Legendary himself. Time had faded and worn them, yet somehow they remained vibrant and novel, and they were absolutely fantastic. Across those walls of Granite Cave, illuminated by the glowing orbs, was every story Nauki had heard and so many more. He saw the domination of the Drowned God and the rise of the Divider, the birth and coming of the Kaulike, the endless sleep of the two beasts and the toils of the Kaulike, the birth and failure of the Eon Dragons, the painting of the land by the Golems, the fall of the Breathing Star and the birth and sleep of Jirachi, the arrival of Deoxys and the destruction he wrought, and so much more. In those paintings, Nauki saw the falling of meteors, the arrival of deadly comets, the power of the red and blue orbs, the coming and going of gods, the rise of the seas and the rise of the sun, and peace prevailing throughout.

"What is this place?" Nauki finally said.

"I remember now," Nalo murmured, her eyes refusing to pull away from the magnificent art. "An explorer once came to Dewford, saying there was some secret in Granite Cave. She left without telling me what she found, but this must've been it." Her attention turned to the orbs littering the ground. "What are these?"

"Sundrops, or lakulu. My mom told me about them. Discovered by a team of explorers. For some reason, they emit light even though they're plants and not stars," explained Nauki. "Hey, I knew something you didn't!"

"Shut up. You know plenty." Nalo patted him on the head and turned her attention back to the paintings. "Latias sent us here for a reason. There's some sort of clue in these paintings, something that'll point us in the right direction."

Nauki took a closer look. "But what could it be? There's so much here."

Nalo thought. "Hmm… The answer won't be obvious. It'll be something subtle woven in here. But we can't afford to be wrong. If we guess incorrectly and go off chasing a dead end, 312 hours will be up before we even know it."

Nauki suddenly felt stress bloom in his chest. "Oh boy. Well, what could it be?" He looked back at a single painting he had only skimmed over before. "Hey, this one has a bunch of meteors falling. And there's a waterfall in the background. Maybe it's referring to Meteor Falls?"

"Huh?" Nalo looked at what he'd pointed out. "Yeah, could be, could be. I'm gonna keep looking just in case, though."

As Nalo stared unblinking at the paintings, Nauki turned his attention elsewhere. He was prodding at a sundrop, wondering what might happen if he burst one, when he saw it. Considering its green color, he was not surprised he hadn't seen it before. Lying crumpled at the edge of the room was a piece of clothing.

Nauki went to retrieve it and picked it up in his paws. He noticed it was a scarf, warm from laying on the sundrops for so long. It was emerald green and sported a scale pattern, and it was worn and torn from years of use. "Hey, Nalo! I found something."

Nalo looked over. "What's that? A scarf?" She approached.

"Yeah. It's green and scaly, kinda like the Kaul- I mean, Rayquaza."

Nalo looked it over. "Hey, I know this pattern! They make scarves like these in Fallarbor Town. And Fallarbor Town is-"

"Right next to Meteor Falls! That must be it!" Nauki finished.

"You could be right. Someone from Fallarbor knew about this place and came here, and there's a cave painting of Meteor Falls. Going there could yield the next clue." Nalo took the scarf and shoved it into Nauki's bag. "You'd better be right about this."

"It's the only lead we have. We have to try," said Nauki. They were interrupted when his stomach let out a wail of protest. "But first, I'm really hungry. Can we stop to eat?"

Nalo pulled the half-eaten oran berry out of his bag, bruised from travel. "Here. Lunch."

Nauki frowned. "Is there really no other way to get food?"

"Unless you wanna cut purses or spend eight hours foraging, this is all we have."

Nauki sighed in defeat and wolfed down the berry. When he finished, he was hardly satiated. "Alright, we should be going."

"Yup, it's a long trip. We'll need to stow away on a boat to reach Route 104. Come on."

"Is that legal?" Nauki asked as they headed back into the dark cave.

Nalo shook her head. "Neither is stealing HMs, but whatever."

* * *

"Whoa, this place is _awesome_!"

Nauki gazed upon the outside of Meteor Falls. It was a rocky area, close to the foothills that hugged the western base of Mt. Chimney, but what made the hills of Meteor Falls unique was the dappling of craters. Some were only as big as Nauki's body, but others could easily serve as a bath for Groudon. Nauki tried to picture it, but he simply could not even imagine meteors so enormous.

"I know, right? The first time I came here, it was raining, and the craters were like huge lakes. It was fantastic."

After traversing the hills and craters, which weren't any good for Nalo's sensitive feet, they arrived at the entrance to the cave, hidden in an alcove in the hills. "I'm guessing whatever, or whoever, we're looking for is in there," said Nauki.

"Then let's go find them." They entered the cave.

The inside was a sight to behold. They entered the golden-brown cave at the bottom, and a ridged hill rose up in front of them. A sparkling, navy blue river fell through the cave in a series of waterfalls before traveling on into the underground, where prying eyes could not follow. It was the second cascade for which the cave had been named. It was enormous, perhaps three stories high, thundering down and landing in an explosion of white froth.

"I've never seen a waterfall that _big_ before," Nauki said.

"It's too bad I don't know the field move waterfall. There's no way we're getting up that thing."

"Well, for now, let's just look around where we can."

The two pokémon climbed up the hill and had a look around. They noticed the northern entrance to the cave, which was on the other side of the river, and a bridge of wet, rotting wood. There was a ton to look at, yet Nauki could not pry his eyes from the cascade.

It was then that Nauki noticed something moving close to the falls. He inched forward for a closer look and saw something he had not expected in a place as remote as Meteor Falls. It was an elderly whismur, collecting stones closer to the falls than he would have dared. Around her neck was an everstone, and she held a walking stick in one hand.

Nauki tapped Nalo and pointed the pokémon out. Nalo's eyes filled with confusion, and she whispered, "Who the flip is that?"

"Maybe she's the one who lost the scarf. Let's go talk to her," Nauki suggested. Before Nalo could even agree, he ran down the hill towards her, shouting, "Excuse me! Ma'am!"

The whismur yelped in surprise, and Nauki's heart seemed to freeze in the instant she almost teetered into the river, but she miraculously caught her balance and turned on him with a furious look. "And just what do you think you're doing, hooligan?! Sneaking up on a blind, old woman fun to you?"

"What? N-no, of course not!" Nauki fumbled. "We just wanted to talk."

The whismur moved her enormous ears here and there, as if she was seeing them with sound waves. "A ground-type and a water-type? You don't see no pairs like that these days. About as unlikely as Jirachi telling someone no!" She gave a hearty laugh.

Nalo pulled the scarf out of Nauki's bag and handed it to her. "Is this yours?"

The whismur hesitated for a moment, then pulled the garment out of her paw and rubbed it against her cheek. "Ah, my scarf!" She then shot them a suspicious glare. "And just how did you two scullions come by it?"

"Scullions?" Nalo echoed in confusion.

"We were in Granite Cave by the paintings, and we found it. We're looking for answers, you see, so we came to Meteor Falls to find you," explained Nauki. "Can you help us? We have questions about the Kaulike Legendary."

The whismur narrowed her eyes at them as she wrapped the scarf around her neck, or where her neck might have been. "Why're two ruffians like you sniffing after the Green God?"

"We want to find him," explained Nauki. "We're trying to stop the storm."

The whismur laughed in their faces. "Pah! Sky Pillar's been sealed away and lost, haven't you heard the story? Get out of here and quit wasting my time." She turned away.

"Wait, please! We really are serious about this," cried Nauki. He hadn't meant to tell the old woman everything, but despite himself, the whole story came pouring out. "Groudon and Kyogre are fighting, you see. They're at war, which is why we've been having these awful storms. Groudon kidnapped my sister. He stole her away from home and is using her as a legendling, but it's killing her! She won't see reason, though. Nalo and I have been trying to put Groudon and Kyogre back to sleep to save her and Hoenn. But when we tried to use the red and blue orbs to do it, we were caught. Waking the Kaulike is our only choice. In nine days, Groudon and Kyogre are going to have a final confrontation in their primal forms. The fight will wipe out the entire world! Please, if you know something, help us."

The whismur was silent for a long time. Nauki couldn't be sure whether she was absorbing his tale or if she had stopped paying attention a while ago. Finally, she spoke. "If you two scoundrels really walk in the world of gods, prove it to me."

"Proof? Oh, we had the red orb a while ago, but my sister took it," said Nauki.

"Something else, then!" she snapped. "How about this? Only those who walk in the world of gods would know the name of the Nameless God. If you expect me to tell you anything, you'd better know the name of the guy you're lookin' for."

"Rayquaza," answered Nalo.

The whismur didn't look surprised. "So you're telling the truth, then. Best come with me."

The whismur led them back up the hill and onto a path that hugged the wall of the cave. They were soon above the great waterfall, where there was a ladder leading underground. "Come along, don't be shy. That thing's older than I am, but just as strong." They headed down.

As they walked, Nauki was shocked by the confidence this old, blind woman had while traversing a dangerous cave. He had the urge to ask how she did it, but he didn't want to offend her, so he ended up just keeping his mouth shut.

The whismur spoke up, much to his surprise. "Yes, I'm blind, but I've been living in this cave since I was yolk in an egg, you fool. If you've got a question, bloody ask it!"

"Yes, ma'am," squeaked Nauki.

They came down from the ladder and started to walk alongside a small, sparkling lake. The whismur pointed it out with her walking stick. "That lake feeds the falls through the underground."

"Neat!" exclaimed Nalo.

Finally, they reached the end of the cave. Nauki was slightly confused about what they were meant to do there until he spotted a delta symbol carved into the rock. The whismur touched it with her hand, and the outline of a door lit up. It lowered, revealing an opening. "Get inside before I shut the door on you."

Nauki and Nalo hurried inside to find a house. There were several worn, patched armchairs, a table covered in knitting supplies and a half made quilt, a handmade rug of mareep wool, and all sorts of ancient relics Nauki could not name.

"You live here?" Nalo asked.

The whismur shot her a look. "No, a ghost lives here. We're just breaking and entering." Nalo gave her a withered look but remained quiet.

The whismur approached the oldest-looking armchair and plopped herself down, tossing her walking stick and basket of rocks aside. "So, you had questions. Ask away. I don't have all day."

"Who are you? Why were you in Granite Cave?" Nalo asked.

"Loners like me don't have much use for names, but on the occasion someone does drop by, I have them call me Pinao Whismur," she explained. "And why the hell do you _think_ I was in Granite Cave? Looking at the paintings, of course! Oh Rayquaza, they just get stupider and stupider every year."

Nalo's breath shook with annoyance. "Is there a specific reason you were looking at the paintings?"

"Well, it was my first time leaving Meteor Falls, and my grandmother used to tell me all about those paintings. If I was gonna go anywhere, why not there? It's pretty."

"Why do you live here?" asked Nauki.

"Oh, so you want my whole life story, do you?" Pinao muttered, but she continued anyway. "I'm part of a family line of very important whismurs. We go by the Dragonkeepers. Millions of years ago, we used to serve another family who were the original Dragonkeepers, but after the Age of Beasts began they were wiped out, so we took over." She shifted into a more comfortable position before continuing. "Us Dragonkeepers never evolve since the first of us didn't. Our job is to pass down all the secrets of Rayquaza, to keep 'em alive."

"Does Rayquaza like that?" asked Nauki.

Pinao shrugged. "Beats me. I doubt he even knows, he's been bloody asleep so long. And look where we are now! Your sister's down for the count, just like the rest of us thanks to our favorite beasties."

"That's why we have to find him," said Nauki. "You know all Rayquaza's secrets. Where is Sky Pillar?"

"No idea," said Pinao. Nauki felt his heart drop. "But I do know how to find it." His heart soared. "Ain't easy, though."

"So how do we find it?" Nalo demanded.

Pinao narrowed her eyes at them. "Why should I tell you? What makes you two kids trustworthy? Only Dragonkeepers have known Rayquaza's secrets since before the bloody Age of Beasts."

"We promise we'll never tell another soul. In fact, we won't ever speak of those secrets to each other for as long as we live. We need to know these things. The entire world and our families are depending on it," Nalo said. Nauki was shocked when her voice shook a little.

Pinao groaned. "Good thing the Dragonkeepers are dying out, or they'd all murder me for this." She grabbed her walking stick and pointed it at them. "You two, I want you to swear on your firstborns. After the beasts are asleep, you're to never speak of anything I tell you right now ever again for the rest of your lives. You take my words to the grave, you got it?"

"I swear," said Nauki.

"I swear."

Pinao rubbed her forehead. "Oh Rayquaza, here it goes. Alright, you need two things if you want to find Sky Pillar. First is the green orb. I have no idea where it is, so don't ask me. The Dragonkeepers used to have it, but that brat Latios stole it about two hundred years back. If it were any other legendary, I might think it was for good reason, but knowing those two, it was probably a bloody prank. Second thing you need is Rayquaza's blessing. If you want that, you gotta make some sorta sacrifice he might like. Don't ask for the specifics, I don't know them. Most'a this knowledge has passed on to my daughter already, and time makes us all forgetful. You have to get them in that order, of course. Getting Rayquaza's blessing'll activate the green orb, which'll float right to Sky Pillar if you let it. Follow it, and once it stops, you're right under it. You'll need the green orb to wake Rayquaza, but that'll be the easy part. I'll be shocked if he doesn't bloody kill you for waking him up."

"Get the green orb, get Rayquaza's blessing, follow the green orb. Got it. Thank you so much, Pinao," said Nauki.

"Where's your daughter. Can we talk to her to get the specifics?" Nalo suggested.

"She and her hubby took a boat to Johto to see some tower or something," Pinao muttered. "She's traveling the world while she can. Once I'm dead and buried, she'll be stuck at Meteor Falls for most'a her days. Not a great fate for such an adventurous soul." She was silent for a moment. "Anymore questions?"

"Just one. How can we convince Rayquaza to help us? Offer him something?" asked Nauki.

Pinao laughed in his face. "What, is that a trick question? You won't be able to, period. Now get outta my house."


	12. Ikaika and Kai'a'a

**Chapter Eleven: Ikaika and Kai'a'a**

* * *

"GRRAAAR!"

The empty red orb pedestal went hurdling to the floor with a great _CRASH!_ The glass case shattered into a million pieces, exploding outward, but Ikaika hardly felt it. Anger still raging inside her like a volcano, she whirled around to find something else to take it out on. She stormed to her bed, grabbed onto one of the pillars holding up the canopy, yanked it right out, and slammed it against the wall so the wood exploded into splinters. Then, still roaring, she grabbed the underside of the bed and thrust it up, sending it flying across the room, sheets and all.

Ikaika paused for a moment, huffing. Her muscles were exhausted, but unfortunately, her anger was not.

 _Enough destruction. This is folly._

"SHUT UP!" Ikaika roared at him. She lifted a foot and kicked it through the wooden bottom of her overturned bed, unfeeling of the jagged splinters now embedded in her foot. She lifted a piece of earth out of the floor and flung it into the bed, destroying it completely.

 _ENOUGH! You should be preparing for our approaching battle, not foolishly destroying your own belongings._

"I SAI- I said shut up." Ikaika tried to yell again, but her voice was done, and she could only speak in a pitiful whimper. She collapsed onto the floor and drew her knees up under her chin. "Just… just shut up."

 _Your time will be better spent in the training room. Go._

Ikaika ignored him. "Please, Groudon. Just leave me alone."

 _Why do you allow yourself to shed tears? Why do you let your emotions control you so? It is unbecoming of the legendling of Groudon._

"Huh?" Ikaika felt under her eyes and realized there were tears there. She tried to wipe them away, but twice as many came to replace them. "Why am I crying? Because MY BROTHER BETRAYED ME!" She grabbed the nearest throw pillow and chucked it at the wall. It didn't explode, but instead merely bounced off, much to her dissatisfaction. Her breath shook with sobs, and quickly her whole body was shaking. "Wh-why would he…? I d-don't understand! He's my b-brother!"

 _Enough of this. The trapinch is not of importance. He does not understand my needs. You should have let me disembowel him the instant we discovered his treachery._

Ikaika let herself fall onto the floor. "No, I shouldn't have." She rested her head on a torn throw pillow. "I just, I don't understand. Why would he turn against me? Why would he try and send you away? He said you're no good for me, but he doesn't know anything. I thought maybe one day he'd be able to understand, and then we could be the friends that we used to be in Lavaridge… But now I see that just can't be. I can never have my brother back."

 _You do not need the trapinch. You. Need. To. Train._

Ikaika rolled onto her back. "You're all I need, Groudon. We'll be the best of friends forever and ever, legendling and guide. I love you more than anything, and you love me just as much." She sighed the rest of her anger out. "I'll train later, I promise. For now, let's just enjoy each other's company."

 _ENOUGH._

Ikaika screamed. A sharp pain suddenly seized her in her chest. She felt like she was being strangled by a red hot, rusted chain, and her entire body felt like it was being embedded with fiery red spears. "Aaaagh! S-stop!"

 _YOU DO NOT ORDER ME,_ Groudon roared. His iron grip grew tighter, and Ikaika screamed louder. She didn't even hear the monks banging on her door. _YOU HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD, LEGENDLING. I AM GROUDON, THE CREATOR OF THE EARTH ITSELF. YOU ARE NOTHING, NOTHING BUT A VESSEL TO USE AND DISPOSE OF WHEN IT NO LONGER WORKS. IF YOU THINK FOR AN INSTANT I FEEL ANYTHING FOR YOU BESIDES TOLERANCE, THEN YOU ARE MISTAKEN. NOW ENOUGH OF THIS FOLLY, AND ENOUGH OF YOUR POINTLESS VENTING. PREPARE FOR MY BATTLE, OR I SHALL DISPOSE OF YOU AND FIND A LEGENDLING WHO WILL OBEY._

Ikaika's screams were unending. Her body was being crushed into slime by a red hot, mailed fist. Her skin was being stabbed all over with knives of fiery lava. Her head was splitting in half. She tried to cry out, to plead with her one and only friend to just stop, but her voice came out a strangled screech.

And then as quickly as it had come, it ended. Groudon slackened his iron grip, and Ikaika's muscles relaxed, the residual pain present. Her sides heaved with exhaustion and terror, her eyes pricked with salty tears.

Ikaika almost felt inclined to ask why, but she left Groudon to his silence, because asking would have been pointless. She knew why. She had always known why. Instead she merely curled up and let her sadness flow out, and for the first time in four years, she wished she could be alone. The pain Groudon had inflicted on her had been agony, but the pain he had left was so much worse.

* * *

Nauki and Nalo left Meteor Falls with a skip in their step.

"Wooo _hoo_!" Nauki cheered, twirling a bit and nearly teetering into a crater. "Nalo, we did it! We know how to find the Kau- I mean, Rayquaza!"

"Yeah, man!" Nalo lifted her paw, and Nauki met her for a high five. Her toothy grin stretched from ear to ear, and the trapinch was so glad to see it. His friend had seldom smiled like that since they left Dewford the first time.

"Okay, so we need the green orb and Rayquaza's blessing," said Nauki. He glanced at the sky, a faded blue now bleeding pink. "We have eight days to do this. How can we find the green orb and fast?"

"Dummy, we already know where the green orb is," said Nalo.

Nauki was silent for a moment, his eyes clouded with confusion. "… We do?"

"Come on, don't tell me you forgot. Remember Sea Mauville?" prompted Nalo.

"O… Oh! OH!" Nalo laughed as Nauki started to jump up and down. "That thing! That green thing! That was thegreen orb!"

"Of course! Now let's get going. We'll catch a boat set for Slateport and jump overboard when we get to Sea Mauville. Finding it again shouldn't be too hard." Nalo immediately started walking southbound.

Nauki started after her, but then stopped. His belly yowled in protest, and he winced at the pain, as if iron teeth were gnawing away at the inside of his stomach. Nature had not been generous to the pair over their travels, and they'd found little through foraging. "Hey, hold up."

Nalo turned, and Nauki noticed her wince at the gnawing of her belly as well. "What's up?"

"Well, we're both starving, and we don't have a single thing to eat. We'll have to live off grass and tree bark if we go that way," Nauki said. "Let's go to Lavaridge Town. My parents'll feed us and give us warm nests for a night."

"No. We don't have the time."

"If we continue with empty bellies, we won't be able to walk, much less save Ikaika and get you back with your family," said Nauki. "There's a tunnel on Route 114 that leads underground to Fiery Pass. Some ground-type dug it, I think. It's only half a day's travel, so we can be in Lavaridge by lunchtime tomorrow. Once we're rested, we can go at double pace with our new supplies. Please?"

"Nauki, it's completely impractical!" Nalo growled. "Do you even know how much longer it'll take to walk all the way from Lavaridge to Slateport and catch a boat? Not to mention wasting time in your tunnel and a night in Lavaridge. What kind of a stupid plan is this?!"

Nauki was unfazed by her harshness. "We need food, and you know it. You're hungry as I am. I want to make it in time, you know I do, but we have to do it logically."

Nalo glared at him, and he held her gaze. It seemed like hours that they stared at each other, locked in a still battle. Then the mudkip dropped her eye. "Augh, fine. Where's this tunnel?"

"Well… I'm not entirely sure. Makamaka took it to Rustboro once. It should be up on Route 114. Let me lead." Nauki headed forward, skirting the edge of a crater. Nalo glanced south once more, but finally turned and let her friend guide the way.

Nauki was wailing like a child, and he had no idea why.

He wasn't sure where he was, but it did not matter at the moment. He simply sat and wailed, rubbing his flooding eyes with his paws. And as he wailed, he thought, _Why am I crying? Did I skin my knee, or fall off a rock, or get bullied?_

"Hey, shhh, it's okay."

Nauki looked up to see his sister standing above him, a vibrava once again. She petted his head and held him tight in her arms. "Shh, it's okay, I got you. I'll never leave your side. Shhh."

Nauki's wails died down, and he nuzzled into her warmth. "Oh, Ika, I love you," he murmured. But then without warning, her warm skin turned blisteringly hot, and Nauki yanked himself out of her grasp with a pained cry. And when he looked up, Ikaika Flygon stood over him, but her scales were crimson, and her eyes were glowing red so ferociously he could not even see her eyeballs.

"Aaaaah!" Nauki shrieked in terror. He scrambled backwards, but before he could even attempt to flee, Ikaika grabbed him by the throat and yanked him back, ignoring his strangled retching. That was when he noticed the omega symbol carved into her chest with a knife, the wounds dripping with blood. By the throat, she pulled him close and whispered, " _I will never leave her side_."

"NAUKI!"

Nauki flailed out of sleep, screaming in terror. He felt someone try to grab him and snapped at them with his jaws, still shrieking. As he regained his senses and started to calm down, the one who had attempted to grab him trying to calm him down.

"I-Ika?" Then he remembered the scorching heat of her skin and tried to scrabble out of her grip.

"No, Dummy, it's me! Just calm down!"

"O-oh. Nalo." Nauki felt dumb for failing to remember that Ikaika was far away in Mt. Chimney, and only Nalo was with him now. "Hi."

Nalo pulled away from him. "Hi." A pause. "Nightmare?"

"Uhh…" Nauki was already starting to forget the details of his dream, but he could recall enough. "Half of it."

Nalo shifted awkwardly, looking everywhere but him. "Well, um… wanna talk about it, maybe? I don't know, does that help?"

Ikaika had once told him something. _If you let your nightmares stay bottled up inside you, they might eat you. You have to let them out, and sharing with a friend is always the way to do it._

 _Not that you ever practiced what you preached,_ Nauki thought glumly, feeling Pa'ani scratch and claw at her prison. "I've been told it helps, yes."

Nalo was silent, fumbling for words. "So…" She waved her paw. "Go on."

"It was nothing really. Ikaika was there, but then she turned into Groudon and got all violent." Nauki found he was moderately comfortable discussing his nightmare. If it had been Latias or anyone else really, he might have disliked it, but not with Nalo. In fact, her awkwardness was starting to cheer him up.

"That sucks," said Nalo. She gave him a pat. "Well, it was just a dream."

"Yeah, just a dream."

They were quiet for a while. Nauki looked around at the walls of the tunnel surrounding them. It was narrow and jagged and poorly dug, but it would suffice for fast transport to Lavaridge. As he was looking, he thought up a question and decided to ask. "Do you ever get them?"

"Hm?"

"Nightmares, I mean."

"Oh." Nalo shifted again. "I mean, I guess everyone does."

Nauki moved closer to her so their sides were touching, and he rested his big head on his paws. "Even you?"

"Yeah, I've been having the same one for a few days now," she admitted.

Nauki gasped. "Why didn't you tell me?! I would've helped!"

"Shut up, they're not bad," said Nalo. Her gaze became distant. "I just see my family fading away, that's all. They're not even that scary. Could you even call them nightmares?"

"That sounds scary," murmured Nauki. "That sounds terrifying."

Nalo sighed and nestled against him, much to Nauki's surprise. "It is."

They spent the rest of the night snuggled against each other, and both found their nightmares had been chased away.

* * *

Lavaridge looked just as Nauki had left it.

When he had left Lavaridge, he had wondered just for a moment if anyone would notice his absence. He had been a ghost in the village, living on its outskirts and never truly becoming apart of its center, and logic told him his absence would change nothing. Yet he had let himself hope for just a second that he might come home to a warm welcome. Even a lukewarm one would have sufficed. But as Nauki walked into the village, no one even spared him a glance.

 _Getting pelted by stones would've been better than this,_ he thought glumly.

"I hate this town," Nalo mumbled, her body already coated in icy water. "It's so flipping hot."

"It's kinda famous for that," giggled Nauki. He glanced up at the blazing sun above. _Thanks for that, Ikaika._ "Come on, my house's this way. It'll be cooler inside."

It didn't feel strange to stand in front of his house. Nauki almost felt for a second as if he had never left. Feeling inclined to knock, however, was the queer part. He gave the door a _tap tap a-tap tap_ and waited, feeling a bit nervous for no reason. When the door swung open, Nauki jolted for a second, before realizing the flygon before him was just his mother.

"Nauki!" Before he knew it, he was being scooped up and squeezed in an enormous hug. "Oh, my baby boy's come home!" Hine squealed. She set him down. "Well, I can't keep calling you my baby boy for long, can I? You've grown so much! You look just about ready to get your wings!"

"Hi Mom!" Nauki beamed. Now here was the warm welcome he had hoped for. "Can we come in?"

"Why're you even wasting time asking? Come in, come in!" Hine moved out of the way, and he and Nalo entered the little house.

It was different than when Nauki had left all that time ago. There was a smaller, fancier dining table with only two chairs, the counters were covered with exotic vegetables no doubt from Fallarbor, there were several new chairs in the living room, and the door to his parents' bedroom, which was usually shut at all times, was open wide with a view straight to the nest.

"Nauki! You're home!" Makua leaped over the sofa and came over to hug him just as tight. "Look who's gotten so big!"

"Hey Dad," said Nauki. When Makua finally set him down, he said, "Nalo and I were wondering if we could have lunch and sleep here for the night."

The mood died as if it had been stabbed from behind. "Oh, you're not staying?" Hine asked, crestfallen.

"No, I'm sorry."

They were all quiet for a moment before Makua said, "Let me get some food ready. We can talk over lunch."

While Makua cooked and Hine did a little tidying up, Nauki and Nalo sat on the sofa in silence. _Oh, they're heartbroken,_ Nauki thought, _but they only have to wait seven and a half more days. I'll tell them that._

When the paccho berry sandwiches were ready, Makua called them over. Hine pulled up an extra two chairs at the table, and they all sat down. Before Nauki could even take one bite, Hine launched her questions. "So where is Ikaika?"

"Is she safe?" Makua added.

 _Not too many details, or they'll march up to Mt. Chimney themselves._ "She's safe, don't worry," Nauki lied. "I know where she is, but I can't get her and bring her home yet. But in seven days, we'll be back. Both of us."

Makua and Hine exchanged a glance. "You were always a bad liar, Nauki," said Hine.

"I'm not!" Nauki exclaimed. "Okay, well she's safe to an extent. But I will bring her home in seven days. I promised, and I won't go back on my promise." _Maybe._

"Well, where is she? What has she been doing?" Makua asked.

"I… can't tell you," said Nauki. "But we'll tell you everything when we get home in a week."

Makua and Hine looked completely unsatisfied, but they left it and turned to Nalo. "So, the mysterious Kyogran friend," said Makua jokingly. "What's your story?"

"I'm on a secret mission," said Nalo, "and thanks to this midget's help, it's just about complete."

"A secret mission! Mysterious. I like it," laughed Makua. "Where're you from?"

"Dewford Town."

"A good distance away. I wonder what sort of secret mission would bring you all the way down to Lavaridge."

"Well, my mission's brought Nauki and I all over." Nalo shrugged. "We've been all the way to the White Mountain, down to Meteor Falls, even to the Southern Island."

"The Southern Island? I thought it was impossible to get there without flying, and even landing on it is difficult," gasped Hine.

"We had some help," said Nauki.

"What's it like there?"

"Misty."

They spent the rest of the evening talking jovially about the duo's travels and different places in Hoenn. Nauki told them of all he had learned, of diverse religions and regions whole oceans away, of myths and their truths, of secret places deep underwater or hidden under mountains. By the time he was done, Hine and Makua were looking at him in a completely different way.

"I really can't call you my baby boy anymore," Hine murmured with a smile.

When lunchtime ended, the pokémon dispersed. Hine headed out into town for something work-related and Makua went to take a nap, so the children had the house to themselves.

"Your parents are nice," said Nalo as she started sorting through the cabinets in search of supplies.

"They really are," Nauki agreed. "Honestly, I didn't use to think so, but now I see."

"Really? Why not?"

"Because I thought they didn't look for Ikaika when she left," explained Nauki, "but thanks to our little run-in in Slateport, I figured it out."

"Parents are cool," agreed Nalo, "except when they ground you for throwing water at cranky old Groutian ladies."

"I'll let you keep that story to yourself," Nauki laughed.

They relaxed in the house all day, eating their fill of food and packing for the long journey ahead. They shared a few stories about the past here and there, but they spoke little. And when it was time for bed, Nauki found he was already well rested.

Makua served them mixed berry salads for dinner. Once they finished, he said, "You two can just sleep in the kids' bedroom if you'd like."

"…. Alright," murmured Nauki, though only Nalo seemed to notice his hesitation.

"So, after this, where are you two going? Somewhere far?" Hine inquired.

"We'll be off to Route 108. There's something important we need there," Nalo explained. "We need to start hurrying, so I'm afraid we'll probably leave before you both wake up."

"Aw, so soon?" Makua whimpered.

"Oh, well I'm actually heading to a conference in Slateport tomorrow morning. Instead of walking all that way, would you rather have a lift? I know fly," offered Hine.

Nalo gasped and slammed her paws on the table. "Are you serious?" She squealed with delight and did a backflip off her seat and onto the floor, cheering the entire time.

Hine looked nervous for a moment. "I didn't break her, did I?"

Nauki laughed. "No, she's just kinda weird. A lift would be great! Thanks, Mom."

"It's no trouble, sweetie. Now you best get to bed. We have to wake up early," said Hine.

"We'll be off then," said Nalo. She and Nauki headed towards the closed bedroom door.

"Sleep tight!" called Makua. Nauki and Nalo slipped into the room and closed the door behind them.

It was upon entry that Nauki realized just how much he hated his bedroom.

Stepping into it was like stepping four years into the past. There were dusty toys he hadn't touched since Ikaika Vibrava had played with him, notebooks filled to the brim with documentations of the past four years of loneliness, even his and Ikaika's nests as they had both left them. The window still swung open, and weather had worked at the windowsill, but that was all that had changed. The walls were still covered with different drawings of Ikaika, the things littering the floor were Ikaika's, this entire room was Ikaika's. And Nauki hated it.

"Weird being back here?" Nalo asked as she jumped onto Ikaika's nest and started shaking dust out of the sheets.

Nauki thought of how to respond. "Weird is one way to describe it."

Nalo stopped cleaning and cocked her head. "You okay?"

"I will be," Nauki nodded. "Let's just go to sleep." He climbed into his bed and crawled under the sheets, cocooning himself like a cascoon. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Nalo responded, her voice laced with worry.

* * *

Nauki was glad to be leaving as Hine flew up into the air. He watched as Lavaridge dropped further and further away, and a smile graced his face.

Nalo gave him a light shove, though he nearly did go teetering right off his mother's back. "There's the Nauki I like to see! Ridiculously smiley."

"I'm just glad to be on the move with a full belly," said Nauki. "Hey, Mom, how long until we get there?"

"We should arrive this afternoon. It'll be a long flight," said Hine.

"Then let's pass the time with some stories," Nauki suggested. "Anyone got any?"

"I might have a couple you haven't heard," Hine said.

They spent the day sharing stories and singing songs. The hours passed fast, and dusk arrived before he even knew it. As the jagged sea rocks came into view below them, Hine spiraled down towards a patch of sand.

She touched the landing, and Nauki and Nalo hopped off. "Will you two be okay?" she asked.

"We'll be fine, Mom." Nauki reached up and wrapped his forelegs around her waist. "Thank you so much."

"Anything for my big boy," Hine said, caressing his face gently. "Just come home soon, and bring your sister with you."

"I will," Nauki stated. Hine smiled and flew off, and Nauki and Nalo were alone once again.

"Now to Sea Mauville. Remember where it is?"

"Hm," said Nauki. "That way. It's in the rock maze."

"Alrighty." Nalo waded into the water and said, "Hop on. We don't have a lapras to cart us around anymore."

They reached Sharpedo's Teeth without much difficulty, and they wove through the stones silently, each caught up in their déjà vu. It was there that Nauki found himself noticing the incompleteness of their group again. He wondered for a while where Latias was, or what she might be doing. Had she barricaded herself in some fallout shelter deep underground? Or perhaps she'd followed her brother to Kanto? Nauki let out a sad sigh and considered mentioning to Nalo how much he missed Latias, but he figured she would probably just get upset.

When they arrived at Sea Mauville's metal entrance, Nalo said, "You ready to dive?"

"Let's not waste a second. We only have 144 hours 'til the end of the world," Nauki said. With a nod, Nalo swam into Sea Mauville and dove into its depths.

 _Wow, it sure is less ominous now that it's lighter,_ Nauki thought. Sea Mauville was still a structure to behold, but it lost its haunted feel when the sun came up. Now it seemed more like somewhere to explore every inch of, not run out of before a monster sprung out of the shadows. Nalo kept a faster pace this time around, and it was not long before they reached the bottom.

The first thing Nauki noticed was two out of the three objects they had found here were gone. Missing were the flute and the stone, leaving just the green orb. Nauki took the opportunity to get a closer look at it. While the red and blue orbs were rough and asymmetrical, the green orb was completely perfect. There wasn't a single knick or divot. It was the most perfect sphere he'd ever seen, and it emitted a faint green glow just like last time.

Nalo grabbed it, but the instant she did, the green light died, and the two pokémon were drowned in darkness. Nalo handed it up to Nauki, who tucked the orb into his bag, and the two swam up before their fear of the darkness could grow.

When Nalo surfaced in the Sea Mauville entrance, Nauki gasped for air even though he didn't really need it. He scrambled onto the dry metal, Nalo close behind him. They exchanged a joyous glance and high fived.

"We got it!" Nauki exclaimed.

"Yeah we did! Let's take a look."

Nauki brought the orb out of his pack. It was a bit slippery from the dampness, but he got a good hold on it. "Smooth," said Nauki, rubbing the orb slightly. "But why isn't it glowing anymore?"

"Hm… Maybe when we get Rayquaza's blessing, it'll glow again," Nalo suggested. "Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea how to do that. Any ideas?"

"Uhh…" Nauki thought it over. How would one get the blessing of Rayquaza? What would a legendary pokémon want? Did it have to be something personal, or maybe an offering? Would a Spheran or a Sphere Arcean know? Would it require some sort of sacrifice? And then he had it. "I might have an idea."

"Really? What?"

"I won't tell you, I'll show you," Nauki said. "But to do it, we need to get back to Lavaridge."

Nalo groaned. "Are you serious? Is there no way we can do this somewhat closer? We only have 144 hours to get this done, and it'll take three days to get back to Lavaridge. That gives us only three days to actually find Sky Pillar!"

"I know, I know, but I really think this could work," Nauki pleaded. "Just trust me on this one."

Nalo narrowed her eyes at him. "If you're wrong-"

"I could be," Nauki admitted, "but it's all we've got."

Nalo sighed and dropped her gaze. "As long as you really think this'll work, fine."

"Alright. We should spend the night here, and wake up super early to get going," Nauki said. He went into his bag and pulled out two berries. "Dinner is served!"

* * *

When Nauki arrived back in Lavaridge once again, he had an air of determination. There was no sentiment, no wishing for a warm welcome, no judgment on how much had changed. He entered under the cover of the black night, and the first thing he did was head toward his house.

"You sure are a man on a mission," Nalo commented. "Okay, we're finally here. We only have thirty-six hours, so what exactly is your big plan?"

Nauki ignored her, which frightened Nalo. He was usually eager to talk to her, to discuss things. What could be so serious about tonight? _He'd better not be planning to sacrifice a maiden at the altar,_ Nalo thought.

Nauki walked up to his house, but he did not go to the front door and knock. Instead, he went to his bedroom window and climbed through like a burglar. Nalo was about to follow him inside, when suddenly a huge object came sailing out the window, hurdling right towards her head. Nalo yelped and ducked out of the way just in time.

"What the hell, Nauki?" Nalo gasped. She turned to see what the object was, and when she did, she found herself even more confused than when they had arrived in Lavaridge. It was Ikaika's nest.

Nalo turned back to the window. _Nauki?_

Out came sailing more and more objects. Nalo watched as toys, practically millions of journals, and drawings came flying out. Sheet music, blankets, and even Nauki's own bed were all added to the pile growing in the center of Lavaridge.

When Nauki came clambering back out, Nalo demanded, "What exactly is going on?" but he continued to ignore her and marched to the other side of the town. He started to climb up the rock wall by the bubbling, spitting hot spring, and Nalo realized he was headed for his secret hideout.

As Nauki started tossing things out of the hideout into the pile with surprising accuracy, Nalo sorted through the pile. She noticed all the toys had been the ones gathering dust on his bedroom floor. When she'd lifted them, the floor underneath was clean. The sheet music all had titles like _A Lonely Little Town_ , _For My Lost Sister_ , or _Please Come Home_. She flipped through a journal, finding entries that all begin with sentences like, _It's been 26 days since Ika left_ or, _It's been 275 days since Ikaika left,_ or _998 days since_. Some were spattered with dry tears, others scribbled in jagged, angry handwriting. Nalo found it all a bit pitiful.

When Nauki returned, he had a huge pile of journals in his mouth, even more than there was already in the pile. He dropped it in the pile, and then he lifted his paw and dropped the last thing: a drawing of Ikaika Vibrava, different from the one lost in Sootopolis but just as detailed.

"Got everything you need?" Nalo asked, in a tone that she hoped would suggest she knew what the hell was happening.

"One more thing." Nauki walked past her and jumped back into the house again.

Nalo waited for a few minutes, watching over the pile of stuff. When Nauki returned, she looked to see what other junk he might have brought, but she didn't see any. Instead, in his left forepaw were a jagged, black rock and a piece of steel shaped like a C.

Nauki approached the pile with icy eyes. After taking the green orb and setting it in front of him, he passed the steel to his right forepaw and pointed the steel at the pile, placing the rock at the top.

Nalo suddenly got nervous. "What're you-" But before she could even finish her sentence, Nauki struck the rock on the steel, and the closest journal burst into flames.

Nalo leaped to her feet. "Nauki, what the hell?!"

Nauki simply lifted a paw to her and said, "Don't worry. Everything is rock here; it won't spread."

Still uneasy, Nalo sat herself back down and asked, "What exactly is all this?"

"This is me giving it up," Nauki stated. He got to his feet and called to the sky. "This is everything, Rayquaza! Take it! This is four years' worth of obsession, loneliness, and despair." As he spoke, the fire spread throughout the pile, devouring it all like a hungry beast, and all that remained went up into the sky as smoke. "I'm asking for your blessing. You want something in return? Well nothing could be worth more than the thing that I care about most in the entire world: bringing my sister home. For four years, I thought of nothing else. It ate my entire world, and it consumed me. Finding Ikaika was everything to me. Everything! But now I know that th-that can n-never…" Nauki paused for a second, and Nalo noticed a tear trail down his face. She was tempted to step in and comfort him, but she restrained herself. "So take it! I can give up my own happy ending if it means getting your blessing! If it means saving all of Hoenn and everything beyond, I'll do it! I'm sending you my happy ending, so take it if you have to!" The flames suddenly bloomed, exploding outwards, and both pokémon had to leap back to avoid getting burned. Nauki hardly paused for a second before continuing, the tears now cascading down his face. "Just TAKE IT! Hear me when I say that I'm giving up Groudon! No one with any sense would ever worship the noxious beast that RUINED THEIR LIFE! I'm a trapinch from Lavaridge Town, and I am NOT a Groutian! Hear that? I am NOT a GROUTIAN! And I am not a Kyogran either, but I can be a Spheran! If you'll give me your blessing and help me save my sister, I'll worship you as long as I live! THAT'S ALL I HAVE, RAYQUAZA! I give you my religion, and I give you the happy ending I've been depending on for four years!" Nauki paused as a sob racked his body. The flames had grown to a monstrous height, and Nalo was mesmerized as all the papers blackened and burned in the red heat. "Now just give me something in return! Give me your blessing, let me save Hoenn! I've given you my happy ending, but help me to give one to my sister. Help me save her. Please, just… just let me save her."

Nalo leaped to catch Nauki as his legs collapsed on themselves. Panic seized her for a moment as she thought, _Did he faint? Is he seizing? IS HE DEAD?!_ but then she realized he was trembling with sadness, and she could remedy that. She wrapped him in a hug and let him cry into her shoulder.

The flames reached their climax, and then they started to die. The smoke took the last of Nauki's happy ending into the sky with it, and nothing was left but a pile of ash and the last few flickers scavenging at whatever was left. Yet nothing had happened.

It was a long while before Nauki finally looked up. "Did it work?" His voice was hoarse and exhausted.

"I don't know," Nalo admitted. She looked at the green orb, but it was still as dim as an unlit light bulb. _If that thing doesn't light up, this'll all have been for nothing, and then we're dead._

Then suddenly, the green orb exploded with green light. In an instant it leaped outwards, illuminating the entire of Lavaridge in intense, green light. The delta symbol glowed gold, and then the orb started to rise into the air.

Nalo grinned. "I think it worked!" Even Nauki could not help but smile.

Once the orb was a good foot off the ground, it started to float away, but Nalo reached up and grabbed it. Once it was in her grasp, it stopped trying to fly off, though its glow did not cease. "Pinao said we just have to follow it, and it'll take us to Sky Pillar right?" Then Nalo gasped. "Nauki, we did it! We actually did it! Sky Pillar is within our grasp!"

Nauki nodded. "That's great," he murmured, "but I'm really tired. Can we sleep first?"

Nalo took pause at the pure exhaustion in his voice, and she nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, of course. Wanna go to your parents' house?"

He shook his head. "No. Let's go to the forest over there. It's sheltered."

"Alright, come on." Nauki got to his feet, and the two pokémon left Lavaridge behind for a second time, with the green orb turning Nauki's bag a brilliant shade of emerald and all his possessions swirling through the sky.

* * *

Ikaika picked up the Orb of Ruby, because what other choice did she have?

Her misery had waited a long time. It had skulked through the shadows, lingering in the inky darkness ready to pounce while little Ikaika curled in on herself in a waning circle of light. It had been there longer than she'd realized, waiting for her to trip up so it could leap, a predator forever stalking its prey. She had run from it, keeping as far as she could, scrabbling at footholds so small they may as well have not existed. For a while she had survived, but her circle of light had grown to small, and now that her last foothold was gone, the predator saw fit to finally relieve the suffering of its prey.

And now Ikaika Flygon was alone.

Her entire life she had waited for someone who could understand her. The curse of earth had brought her nothing but pain and scorn and isolation. There had been someone who might have been that person one day, if she had been patient, but she'd turned her nose to the opportunity. When another had arrived, she'd blinded herself to the truth, that this was not a friend she could rely on but a compassionless god who could not learn the ways of love. Twice she had erred, and twice was enough if you were so unlucky. And there was a third, but it was an impossible choice to make, one she could never accept.

Groudon had not spoken to her since that time. For a short while, Ikaika had been okay with it. Never could she forget the agonizing pain of her one and only friend torturing her or the harshness of the truth he had brought to light. Ikaika had instead searched among the monks and nuns of Chimney Monastery in search of a new foothold. She hadn't left a stone unturned in her search for new companionship. But the choice to take up an impossible battle did not suddenly make it possible.

Ikaika found herself grow sadder as she remembered. Of every single monk and nun in the heart of Mt. Chimney, she had asked the same question. _Will you be my friend?_ But each and every time, the answer had always been the same, and each time was more agonizing than the one before.

 _"If it please the Lady Ikaika."_

All 172 monks and nuns of Chimney Monastery had gladly agreed to be her friend, and yet Ikaika came out with none. Because Lady Ikaika was an empty title, but here it was synonymous to Lord Groudon, and that was all she was to the 172 pokémon who had agreed to be her friend. The body of a god, meant to be discarded when it was worn out and nothing more. She was nothing to these people, and the only love they had for her was the love for the legendary they were pledged to serve.

And then there was Kai'a'a Kingdra. The mysterious vessel of the Sea Monster, her sworn enemy whom she had grown to hate over the years. To be honest, she had never really thought much of him. Ikaika had done battle with him so many times she'd lost count after only a year, yet never had she wondered who might be the skin Kyogre wore.

All that had changed after Mossdeep City. Never had she even considered where Kai'a'a might have come from, or what sort of life he might've left behind to serve Kyogre. But she had seen him spying on a seadra, something she had not expected at all. Did Kai'a'a Kingdra, skin of the Sea Monster, have someone he'd left behind just like her? Perhaps he had left for the same reason? Perhaps if she spoke to him, she'd find that her sworn enemy was the very pokémon she had longed for all her life.

Ikaika had considered it. For days she had stared at the door of Chimney Monastery, trying to muster up the courage to fly away from the behemoth Groudon, seek out Kai'a'a Kingdra, and do the impossible: suggest rebellion. She had even expected Groudon to leap out of his silence and hurt her again for even considering it, yet the beast had remained eerily quiet.

But days passed and Ikaika remained still, and finally she had to accept that it would not happen. The legendlings of Groudon and Kyogre would not rise up against them as friends, because Ikaika simply was not brave enough, and if she and Kai'a'a were as alike as she suspected, he was not either.

Time passed, and her eternal loneliness prevailed. And finally, the time came. In twenty-four hours, it would be time to battle the only pokémon in Hoenn who could possibly be her friend. Ikaika picked up the Orb of Ruby, because what other choice did she have?

Now that he had need of her, Groudon came out of his silence. _Unlock the energy. I shall obtain my primal form._

"Okay."

Alone, Ikaika wouldn't have been able to crack the glowing orb, but Groudon was Ikaika and Ikaika was him, and she knew how to unlock her own power. She unleashed the power of the Orb of Ruby, and Groudon became Primal Groudon.

The red energy from the dawn of time flowed out of the orb and into her, and Ikaika could almost feel the clock turn backwards. Crimson electricity crackled around her, and she felt strength lost to time return to her muscles, power long forgotten return to her blood. An enormous orb of light encased her, and Ikaika felt herself change. Her two wings transformed so they looked like a six-pointed star from the back. Her two horns stretched and thickened and took on thick, black stripes. The round glass over her eyes became narrowed, so she looked angry even if she wasn't, and her tail had enough muscle to cause earthquakes if she were to bang it against the floor. Her claws became long enough to tear through a salamence's scales, and her teeth turned the color of onyx. Her entire body became outlined with the very symbols she had seen on Groudon's own body, and they glowed red. Primal Groudon had risen, and Primal Ikaika along with him.

She heard Groudon sigh with pleasure in her head, though it sounded more like someone dragging nails down a chalkboard. _I have not known this power in thousands of years,_ he murmured. _Not since before the Peacebringer sought eternal hibernation. Ah, how good it feels._

Ikaika didn't take up the conversation, though Groudon didn't seem to care. She didn't particularly like the newborn strength that flowed through her, but she didn't hate it either. She felt apathetic, too consumed by her own misery to even care about the doom that approached Hoenn… or her.

 _These long four years of war have been nothing, only training for the moment of truth that approaches in twenty-four hours. You are ready._

Fourteen days ago, Ikaika would've cared.

"Okay."

* * *

On the other side of the world, Kai'a'a could not be more gleeful.

He gazed down at the blue orb, now glowing with the power of old. All these years, the secret of the Cave of Origin had been right under his nose, and now that the treacherous Latias and her pets had so foolishly revealed it to him, his primal form was within his reach.

"It is finally time." Kai'a'a wondered if the voice would chime in, but it remained silent. He waited for a moment, hoping for some word of encouragement or a helpful suggestion. After relocating in Seafloor Cavern, where Kyogre's true body resided, he had hoped the voice might become more talkative, but it was rarely so kind.

"It is time," repeated Kai'a'a. He lifted the blue orb in the curl of his tail and unlocked his primal form.

Kai'a'a felt the power give him the strength and power lost to time. It worked its way up from his tail, fashioning his body to its liking. The symbols from Kyogre's body etched themselves onto his own and emitted dark blue light. His two, thin horns became navy blue, massive antlers with three points that went down to the corners of his eyes. His one dorsal fin split into two and grew thickened, navy blue frames. And a single horn sprouted from his forehead, curving menacingly. Kai'a'a let out a chaotic laugh as he admired his new body, reveling in its newborn power. He was one with the entire ocean, and he would bend it to his will. He was nearly drunk with the power…

… Until it reached his head.

Kai'a'a shrieked in utter pain, his cries echoing through Seafloor Cavern. He collapsed onto the floor, writhing as his head split open, and the vault was unlocked. The primal energy had purified all the ailments of his body, including the one of the mind, and Kai'a'a's locked memories came racing back with the force of a tidal wave, and as the pain carved his head like a knife, all his memories came rushing back.

Her name came first. Hau'oli. Hau'oli Seadra. With her name came every detail about her. She was a true girly girl who loved to shop, get new clothes, and dance. Her favorite color was purple, because it was the color of royalty. She was Kyogran only in name, and she always considered her secular interests of higher priority, much to her older brother's disapproval. She always liked to have a circle of friends around her, and she always had romantic flings with neighborhood girls that only ever lasted a couple of weeks before she was pursuing someone else. Hau'oli Seadra.

And then came the life of Kai'a'a Kingdra, and it started with death.

Kai'a'a Horsea had been in charge of the house that day, and he was feeling quite proud. Never before had his parents left him in charge of his baby sister. Usually his father would stay home with them while his mother went to Slateport City to get groceries, but today had been different. His parents had sat him down and said, "Kai'a'a, you've been so responsible lately, and you take such good care of your little sister. We're going to Ever Grande City for a few days, but we promise we'll come home soon. Do you think you can do it?"

And he'd responded without hesitation, "Of course! I'll look after Hau'oli for as long as you need." He hadn't realized at the time just how big of a commitment he was making.

Kai'a'a tried to pull the names of his parents out of his memory, or perhaps their faces, but he found they were too far gone, too deep in the vault to ever be reclaimed. Fortunately, he wasn't entirely interested in them, and the next set of flashbacks washed over him.

The knock on the door. Kai'a'a Horsea had been dancing with his sister to bad music when it came. He told her, "Just a moment. I'll be right back. Oh, don't get upset, it'll only be a minute." He'd gone to the door and opened it to find the head priest of Pacifidlog Town in his dark blue cloak.

"Oh, hi." Kai'a'a wasn't entirely sure how he should act in front of someone as high and mighty as a priest. "Yes?"

The news was delivered.

Kai'a'a had been so young, he could never be sure whether or not he had truly understood what was going on. The funeral was short and cheap, paid for collectively by the people of Pacifidlog out of obligation more than anything. His parents' caskets had been placed into the sea just to rejoin with Kyogre, for life began in the sea, and to the sea all life must return. Hau'oli had cried through the funeral, mainly because everyone else was, but Kai'a'a sat through it in stunned silence.

He'd heard the whispers.

 _"Look at that boy. Won't even cry over his own parents."_

 _"Has he no emotion?"_

 _"A sociopath, maybe. Disgusting."_

He'd been old enough to understand that.

It was a few days of living in an empty house, comforting Hau'oli whenever she cried for her mommy and daddy. He would take her out for swims on his back, dance with her, make ugly dresses for her, anything to get her to smile for just a bit. It didn't work so well, because they always came home to an empty house, and no one in Pacifidlog seemed interested enough to offer help.

That was when the Big Lady came. Kai'a'a could only just remember what sort of pokémon she'd been. A hariyama, and a fat one at that. He remembered what she said. "You two've got no family, and nobody here'll claim ya. I'm gonna take the two of you to an orphanage in Mossdeep. We leave tomorrow."

"But we've always lived here!" Kai'a'a had argued. "I'm not going, and I won't let you take my sister either."

"Oh, you don't wanna come? What happens when you run outta food? Outta clean nests? What happens when a storm knocks your house into Kyogre's ocean? How well off're you and your sister gonna be then? They'll take care of ya in Mossdeep. I know what they say 'bout orphanages, but it ain't so bad as it sounds, you'll see. If anything, do it for your sister."

Kai'a'a did it for Hau'oli.

"We're going to a huge city!" he'd told her. "There'll be lots of people to meet and lots of dances, and we can go shopping and buy all the food we want, and there'll be people to take care of us."

Hau'oli buried her face in his chest. "But I want _you_ to take care of me." Her tears were warm on his scales.

Mossdeep was a big change from Pacifidlog. Kai'a'a had been afraid the city was so big it would swallow him and Hau'oli up, but he found the longer he stayed, the more it became his home. The orphanage was nice. The kids there were mostly amiable, besides the occasional bully who Kai'a'a always reprimanded with his power over water, which only continued to grow. The Orphanage Lady, who might've been a delcatty or perhaps a zangoose, was kindhearted, and soon Pacifidlog faded in the children's minds. They attended school, and even though they were in different classes, they spent their recesses together and always got ice cream on the walk home. A teacher even said, "Kai'a'a, we've noticed how fast you've excelled in every subject. You're a very bright boy. Perhaps you'd like to take advanced classes? I think you'd benefit from them." He had accepted graciously, and Hau'oli decided to take him shopping in celebration. He accepted that as well, and though Hau'oli spent most of their shopping money, he ended up buying something anyways just for no reason at all.

It was when the bullies came that things started to change.

They attacked Hau'oli first. He remembered hearing her cries, and he ran as fast as his caudal fin would take him. He didn't remember what they looked like. They were all demons to him. He found Hau'oli bloodied and bruised and crying, the demons relentless in their assault. Kai'a'a had assumed his power would be enough to send them packing. He'd been wrong. By the time the demons were done, both little horseas had suffered.

The biggest had laughed in his face. "Looks like you're not as tough as you think you are, huh?"

Kai'a'a Horsea spat a red tooth in his face. "Next time, I will be."

From then on, schooling came second and training first. As soon as school would end, he would head to Mossdeep Gym to train, and the after-school ice cream trips grew less and less frequent. Kai'a'a trained and trained, and with the gym leader's help, he honed his talents, and soon Kai'a'a Horsea became Kai'a'a Seadra. He would always come home to find Hau'oli looking dejected, and he could not be sure why.

"You'll see! Next time those bullies strike, I'll be able to protect us both."

Hau'oli stared at the floor. "I don't care about that. I just wanna see you more."

When the demons struck next, Kai'a'a was ready. It was one against seven, but he single-handedly tore them apart, nearly drowning them all and ripping them with icicles and shards. By the time he was done with them, five out of seven had been rushed to the hospital for critical care, and Kai'a'a had won himself a trip straight to the police office.

When he came home that night, Hau'oli wouldn't even look at him.

He stopped going to the Gym.

A few days later he saw Hau'oli at the ice cream parlor with two other girls. He didn't ask who they were later on. Instead, Kai'a'a found the nearest known bully and blasted him with water until he had hypothermia.

It was a few years later when the blue spirit found him. Kai'a'a had spent the evening having his worst fight yet with Hau'oli in the orphanage living room, and not even the Orphanage Lady had been able to step in.

"I was just trying to protect you! They deserved it!"

"They weren't doing anything! Can't you see what you've become?! You're a monster!"

"Why can't you see I'm just trying to be a good brother to you?!"

Then she said it. "My life would be a whole lot easier if I didn't _HAVE_ a brother!"

Hau'oli ran out of the room, leaving Kai'a'a in stunned silence. A younger orphan boy whispered, "Ooooooooh," until an older one smacked his muzzle.

Kai'a'a returned to his room after that, and since sleep rarely came so easily, he decided to bury himself in one of the tomes from the local library. After his outings to Mossdeep Gym had ceased, Kai'a'a began to focus on his education again, and the teachers loved his brain. He read on all topics: history, culture, mythology, mathematics, science, religion, astronomy. Anything the library had, Kai'a'a would read. He trod in the world of fiction as well, for reading about characters with companionship made it easy to forget his lack of it.

It came to his window, glowing faintly in the night, a small blue light shifting in shape. Kai'a'a's immediate reaction would have been to blast it with ice, but something deep inside him knew better. "What are you?"

It answered. It asked a question. _"Are you ready?"_

Kai'a'a hesitated. He thought of Hau'oli, and the love he had for her. He remembered piggyback rides on the open sea, shopping for clothes, and ice cream trips on the way home from school. He remembered the promise he made his parents before they'd gone and died. Then he remembered. _My life would be a whole lot easier if I didn't_ HAVE _a brother!_ And he wondered. _Am I doing my sister a disservice just by existing?_ He had his answer.

That day, Kai'a'a Seadra became the legendling of Kyogre.

It had been Kyogre who'd guided him to Sootopolis City. He'd been surprised to find a secret city sprawled out under the White Mountain. He approached the civilians and asked, "I am Kyogre, and I ask you all the favor of giving me shelter in my war. I can't promise it'll always be safe, but I'll do my best to protect you should the need arise."

The Sootopolians accepted, because who could turn down the Drowned God?

From then on, it was battle after battle with Groudon and his legendling, but as the months went by, Kai'a'a found himself sinking deeper and deeper into despair. He cared less and less about winning battles or who would come on top at the end of the war, because his thoughts were nailed to Hau'oli, and his longing for her consumed him. _I wonder what she's doing right now,_ he always thought. _Does she miss me? Is she happier? Did I make a mistake?_

Even after he evolved, Kai'a'a would go to Mossdeep and watch her every day he wasn't battling Groudon. The more he did, the more infuriated Kyogre grew. _We do not have time for this folly! Your time would be better spent training or obtaining the Orb of Sapphire's power!_ But Kai'a'a had the power to make his own decisions, so the trips continued.

Soon his despair and depression consumed him so much that he even stopped leaving his bed. He had his meals brought to him by the kindly priests, and he got up for nothing but to relieve himself. Had Groudon's legendling discovered him like that, the world would've become land-locked right then and there.

Desperate, Kai'a'a decided one day to ask Kyogre. "How do you do this? How do you live without sinking like I have?"

 _I am the sea. I do not sink._

"But how do you always keep going without tiring, without finding something more important? How do you stay happy?"

 _I am Kyogre. I do not feel._

And there was Kai'a'a's answer. "That's true. I _am_ your legendling, so technically I'm you and you're me. There really is no reason I shouldn't try to be more like you."

 _Do you suggest a complete possession?_

"No, that won't be necessary. I just think we should be closer, is all. The two of us are two souls in one body, so why not mix a bit? Then maybe you could give me some of your emotionlessness, and I'd be able to get up and fight this war as I should."

 _So you finally see fit to rise. About time._

Kai'a'a left his room that day, much to the Sootopolians' surprise. He ordered the priests to gather everyone down by the shore so he could address them. "I've decided it's time to try something new. From now on, I want all of you to refer to me as Lord Kyogre, and Lord Kyogre only. No more Lord Kai'a'a, alright?"

A braver Sootopolian spoke up. "Why, exactly?"

"Because I-" Kai'a'a paused. _Well, if I want to become more of Kyogre, I should account for both souls in this body._

"Because we desire it."

When Kai'a'a came out of his flashbacks, he gasped as the pain was suddenly swept away. For so long, his mind had felt muddled and hazy, but finally the fog had gone, and everything felt clear. For the first time in three years, Kai'a'a could think.

"Hau'oli," he murmured. Then louder. "Hau'oli! We must see her! We must see her and apologize!"

He ran for the door, but before he could even reach it, an icy grip seized him, and he cried out in pain. _Enough of these foolish outings. I will suffer them no longer,_ Kyogre snarled. _In twenty-four hours, it will be time to battle the Usurper. You may see this seadra when we come out triumphant. Until then, you are_ my _legendling and you_ will _obey me, understand?_

"No! There's no time. We have to see Hau'oli now!" Kai'a'a grunted. He screamed as the icy iron strangling him grew tighter.

 _YOU WILL NOT, or I shall dispose of you and find a legendling more fitting to my needs. You have been a mediocre vessel at best. Don't think I won't hesitate to discard you._

"Then discard us! We don't care about your war anymore!" Kai'a'a growled.

 _Shall I? Know that no legendling Kyogre uses for so long ever comes out alive._

That gave Kai'a'a pause. "You did not mention that, back in Mossdeep."

 _It was irrelevant,_ Kyogre growled. He relieved his icy grip. _I can free you gently, so you might have a chance of survival, or I can toss you off myself and leave you to rot. Serve me and live or betray my and die. The choice is yours._

Kai'a'a sighed, and thought, _Wait just a bit longer, Hau'oli._ "Fine. We shall serve you."

 _Very well. Then prepare for battle. The final confrontation is soon to begin._

* * *

 **Author's Note**

This is my favorite chapter of the book.

Fun fact: It was actually in this chapter where I decided to make a huge alteration to the book's ending. If this chapter hadn't gone the way it had, the ending would've been drastically different. Can't say much more than that, though, cause spoilers!


	13. Midnight

**Chapter Twelve: Midnight**

* * *

 _This green orb just does not understand the concept of roads,_ Nauki thought, huffing and puffing.

He and Nalo had been following the green orb since it had activated in Lavaridge two evenings ago. But instead of going up Jagged Pass as the two had expected, it had proceeded to float right up the steep, rocky wall encircling the little town. Unwilling to lose it, Nauki had climbed right up after it, Nalo behind him, and by the time they were up, both pokémon were covered in scrapes.

The green orb did not understand the concept of roads, so Nauki and Nalo traveled the way the pidgeot flies: over hill and through valley, under forest and up cliffs. For most of their trip, Nauki had practically no idea where they even were in Hoenn, and he and Nalo had had to beat back thieves multiple times, but they never lost the green orb. They reached the ocean, but the green orb was undeterred, so they took to swimming, Nauki on Nalo's back. And every step they took brought them closer to Sky Pillar.

When the sun rose that morning, Nauki gazed at the sky and said, "It's strange that the day Kyogre and Groudon are gonna to destroy the world happens to have the nicest weather we've had in four years."

Indeed, it was. The air was crisp and clear, thick with morning dew. It was warm, but just cool enough to make the temperature perfect, and the sea was warm below them. The sun looked cherry red as it rose, the sky around it rosy pink.

Nalo nodded in agreement. "Except there." Nauki looked east, and sure enough, storm clouds had gathered out on the ocean. Rain was bucketing down, and the black clouds continuously flashed white. "Do you think that's where Kai'a'a is?"

"Survey says yes," said Nauki. He glanced down and noticed Nalo staring darkly at the water. "Hey, you okay?"

Nalo shook her head. "When the clock strikes twelve tonight, my time is up. I just can't see how we're going to get everything done _and_ make it to Dewford before then."

"We will," Nauki said. "We just have to have faith." The words felt like lime on his tongue, and Pa'ani clawed a hole in the wall of his heart, but he covered it up and held her tight.

They continued after the green orb, enjoying the blissful silence of the open sea. A boat sailed north on the horizon, most likely full of explorers headed for Sinnoh, and a flock of wingulls passed overhead. Other than that, the only movement was the slight stirring of the water.

 _Kyogre must be happy,_ Nalo thought. Kyogran pokémon always said that when the sea was calm, not that she'd heard the saying much in the past four years. It was then she remembered her and Nauki's last night in Lavaridge, and she stole a glance at him. _He said he's not Groutian anymore. I think he's the first pokémon I've met to change their religion just like that. That means I could stop being a Kyogran too, if I wanted. What would I even be? Spheran? Sphere Arcean? Should I join a cult and worship Deoxys?_ She pondered about this for a moment. _There's gotta be a world of religions out there. Maybe there's some legendary out there worth my respect. Or maybe I don't even need a religion. I'd be the first pokémon I've ever met to not have one. Well, I always knew I was special._

They swam on without stopping for the whole day. They took rests on sand patches and jagged rocks whenever Nalo grew tired, but her determination to finish the secret mission on time kept her going, and they never stopped for longer than fifteen minutes. The sun reached its zenith and started to drop, and Nalo started to feel stress clutching at her heart. She kept glancing at a pocket watch she had picked up a long time ago but never found much use for. Six hours to midnight. Five hours. Four.

Finally, Nalo was beyond frustrated. "GAH! I can't take it anymore! We only have four hours to get back to Dewford and maybe three before Groudon and Kyogre kill everyone! Where is fricking Sky Pillar?!"

Nauki responded, "What's that up there?"

"Huh?" Nalo looked ahead. Just ahead of them was a brown, rocky island, and the green orb was heading straight towards it. "What the hell is going on?" she muttered. She waved her caudal fin and picked up the pace.

The two pokémon followed the green orb up onto the island. It was tiny, about the size of Pacifidlog Town and ovular. The stress clutched Nalo tighter as an inkling of an idea spawned in the back of her head. _Don't tell me…_ And her suspicions proved true. The green orb floated to the middle of the island, rose up another two feet, and stopped moving.

Nauki froze. "What the?" He jumped up and batted the orb, but it simply floated back to its previous position. "Is it broken? It can't be broken!" His breathing started to quicken.

Nalo moved next to Nauki. She felt like a sleepwalker. Any residual hope had been drained out of her. She felt as cold as the everstone dangling on her neck. "It's not broken."

Nauki whirled around to face her. "What do you mean?"

"We've arrived. It did exactly what it was supposed to do, take us to Sky Pillar. Only, Sky Pillar is impossible to reach."

"But where is it?" Nauki looked around.

Nalo pointed up.

Nauki followed her paw with his eyes. He almost expected to see the enormous tower floating just above them, but the sky was completely empty. "No," he murmured. Then louder. " _No!_ It's that high? But we'll never get up there! There's just no way! NO!"

Nalo turned and started to walk away, but Nauki grabbed her tail before she could get very far. "Where are you going?!" he yelled.

She wouldn't even look at him. "I'm going home, Nauki. I'm going home to beg Mana'o Gardevoir to restore my family's memories so I can spend my last day alive with them. It's over."

"Stop it!" Nauki cried. "You won't even get to Dewford in time!" He let her go forcefully and kicked at the ground, sending gravel up in a spray. "NO! This can't be happening! I didn't come all this way just to get stuck on a stupid patch of rocks because neither of us have wings! I DID NOT SACRIFICE EVERYTHING AND GIVE MYSELF TO RAYQUAZA JUST TO GET STUCK HERE! IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS!"

"Nauki, please." He hadn't even realized Nalo was starting to cry. "Enough."

"No," he cried, quietly this time. He slowly sank to the ground and sniffed. "But what's gonna happen to Ika?"

That was when a miracle happened.

She came like a guardian angel sent from above, the light of heaven shining around her. Nauki realized later that that was probably just the light reflecting off her down. Her white body sparkled clean as an everstone, and her red wings were the color of a cheri berry. When he saw her, he could scarcely believe what he was seeing, and he did not even process it until she spoke.

"Hey hey. Need a lift?"

" _Latias_!" Nauki leaped forward and hugged her as tight as he dared, holding back so not to break her delicate beautifly body. Even Nalo leaped to her feet in shock. "I didn't think you'd come back!"

"Well, I was bored," said Latias with a shrug, "but to be honest, I've been following you guys since Meteor Falls."

"Why didn't you reveal yourself? We thought you abandoned us for good," said Nalo. She hung back, clearly still fuming.

"Well, I was thinking about heading to Kanto, but I realized if Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre fight, Kanto isn't gonna be much safer than Hoenn. Then I saw you guys leaving, so I just tailed you. Nice one finding the Dragonkeepers, by the way," explained Latias. "But I didn't make myself known because I didn't want to be involved."

"Because you're afraid of what Rayquaza will do if he sees you again," Nalo finished.

Latias didn't meet her eye, but nodded. "I followed you while you followed the green orb, but I knew Sky Pillar was too high for you to reach. In fact, it's up near the top of something another kind would call the stratosphere. Waaaaay high. I've been debating whether to take you there or not, but after everything, I figured why not?"

"But what about your dad?" Nauki asked.

"Hey, I said I'd take you to Sky Pillar. After that, it's up to you two. There's not much I can do at that point anyway, but I'll be keeping an eye on things from the outside," Latias explained. "I'm honestly shocked I'm even doing this, but I feel like I owe you this one."

"No time to lose," Nalo said. "Are you sure you can make it up in time with that form?"

Latias smiled sweetly. "Nalo, Nalo, silly as always." She didn't comment on Nalo's offended expression. "If you wanna get to Sky Pillar fast, you gotta fly fast!" With that, she transformed.

Nauki was glad to see Latias in her normal appearance once again. He hadn't gotten much of a chance to admire it under the White Mountain, but she was truly beautiful. Aerodynamic and sparkling, with wings like a jet plane. There wasn't a doubt she could fly as fast as one, too. "All aboard the Latias Express!"

Nauki plucked the green orb out of the air and tucked it in his bag. He climbed onto Latias's slender neck, and Nalo got on behind him, just at the top of her wings. She braced herself, lowering slightly, and with a burst of speed, they were off.

Nauki had to clutch her soft down as hard as he could to avoid falling off. They were flying at breakneck speed, traveling up at nearly a ninety-degree angle. His legs flapped behind him. Nalo cheered, "Woooooooo _hoo_!" He looked back and was glad to see her grinning from ear to ear.

The group, complete once again, flew up over the clouds. Nauki had expected to find Sky Pillar here, but Latias kept heading up and up and up, so high he could cover Hoenn with his paw. However, looking down was dizzying, so Nauki decided to distract himself by asking a few questions. "Say, Latias, does Rayquaza have a primal form too?"

"No. Well, not technically. When Groudon and Kyogre reverted to their primal forms, it was a different kind of evolution called, you guessed it, primal evolution," explained Latias.

"I didn't think there was more than one kind of evolution," Nalo interrupted.

"Oh, there are three," said Latias. "Daddy can't primal evolve because his normal form is how he looked all those years ago, but he can do the third kind: mega evolution. It basically gives him a more powerful, more rad body. You need Mega Rayquaza to go up against Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre."

"Does he need the green orb for it?" asked Nalo.

"Nope. He swallowed the meteorite that lets him mega evolve, so now he can do it whenever. Latios and I laughed about that. I mean, imagine swallowing a meteor. Yuck," giggled Latias. "I used to be able to mega evolve too, actually. It let me fly twice as fast! I lost my mega stone a super long time ago, unfortunately. Maybe Latios knows where it is. Hmm."

"This is all a bit mind boggling," said Nauki, "but that might just be the altitude."

Then Nalo exclaimed from behind. "I see it!" Nauki looked up, and if he squinted, he could just make out a long shape in the distance. Latias put on a burst of speed and came closer and closer, and sure enough, Sky Pillar appeared before them.

The structure was the most immense building Nauki had ever laid eyes on. At fifty stories high, it dwarfed the Lilycove Department Store by a landslide. Built on a rocky, floating island, Sky Pillar must have been a gorgeous building in its prime, but time had had its effect. White bricks were eroded all over the tower, and it was filled with small, gaping holes and crumbling stone. There were even some charred craters where meteorites might've hit. The slightest wind caused a shrieking creak to echo through the tower, and it seemed like it could fall over any minute.

"We're going in!" Latias announced. She zoomed upwards and banked back down, landing on the tower's island.

Nalo was the first to hop off. Nauki was a bit slower, but once he saw it held Nalo's weight, he was more willing. "Thank you so much, Latias. We'd be dead if it weren't for you."

"I didn't do anything," shrugged Latias. "We'd all be dead if it weren't for _you_." Her tone grew grimmer. "Some advice, now. It really looks like Daddy let this place go to the herdiers. If this is what the outside looks like, the inside's gotta be worse. Tread carefully, but make haste. It's a big tower. Daddy will be sleeping at the top floor. I can feel him up there."

"Can't you bring us to the top?" Nalo asked.

Latias shook her head. "Daddy will sense me if I get too close. Being here is risky in itself. This is as far as I can go. I'm sorry."

Nalo shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. You've done enough. This is up to me and Nauki now."

Latias nodded. "Good luck." She did a flip off the island and flew back down, starting to make circles beneath the pillar.

Nauki and Nalo moved away from the edge of the island and stood together at the gaping, dark entrance to the tower. It almost looked like the mouth of a beast.

"You ready?" Nalo asked.

"Yes."

Together, they entered Sky Pillar.

* * *

Ikaika had never been fond of Lilycove City. Anywhere else in Hoenn, she could arrive and know exactly whether she would be welcomed or spit at. It was a rigid, formulaic system that she had come to rely on during travels. But Lilycove was a strange city, with its strange food, strange religions, and strange pokémon. She could be welcomed one day, scorned the next, ignored the next.

And that was why she was glad it was going first.

Ikaika saw him in the cove, perched atop a shimmering pillar with swirling water snakes around him. Several passersby were starting to take notice and shout up at him, but if he took notice, he didn't show it. She was ashamed to say he almost looked magnificent up there on his stupid water tower.

Ikaika flew over and twisted to land, raising up an equally-tall pillar of earth and lava to meet her. On any other day, the fighting would have exploded immediately, earth and water flying everywhere. But today was different. Ikaika and Kai'a'a met eyes on the battlefield for the first time.

Ikaika decided she ought to initiate. "Hi."

Kai'a'a narrowed his eyes at her, looking especially menacing with his new horns.

"Well, you don't look empty. That's a switch."

Kai'a'a seemed to relax somewhat at that. "Do we not? You seem emptier than ever."

Ikaika had to laugh at that. "Looks like we've both changed, huh?" When Kai'a'a remained silent, she continued. "Who's the seadra?"

That took Kai'a'a by surprise. His water pillar faltered for an instant. "Do you mean to make our mind wander before our battle?"

Ikaika shook her head. "I'm just curious."

 _Enough of this. I wish to battle,_ snarled Primal Groudon.

"She is our sister," Kai'a'a explained, "though until now, we had forgotten."

 _I could ask him,_ Ikaika thought. _I could just ask him to not fight me._ "Ah."

"And the trapinch? Who is he?"

"My brother," answered Ikaika. "Looks like we've got something in common."

"Would you rather leave this place and go see him?" inquired Kai'a'a.

Ikaika considered this for a moment, uncertain. Nauki had never understood her. There had always been a divide between them, sprouted and widened by her powers. But he had tried, hadn't he? In Lavaridge, he had been better than nothing. Better than a god inside her chest. "Yeah, I would. How about you? For your sister, I mean."

"We would," said Kai'a'a. "… No, not _we_. But you and I aren't going to, are we?"

"No," Ikaika said. "We aren't." She lifted her claws, and three enormous chunks of earth rose up. Kai'a'a's water snakes hissed.

The storm began.

* * *

Nauki hadn't anticipated how treacherous the climb would be.

The ground floor of Sky Pillar was in decent shape. There were dusty statues of snarling dragons without feet to rest on, and the walls were decorated with fading mosaics. The floor was littered with shattered stained glass, but at least it was intact. Nalo shouted, "Stairs!" and led the way over to the staircase that curved along the wall, leading to the second floor. The two pokémon sprinted up, Nauki taking the lead, and he jumped onto the second floor…

… To nearly fall into a gaping pit in the floor.

Nauki yelped in fear and lost his balance, but he felt a slippery paw grab his leg and wrench him back. "Thanks," he breathed. "This place is a mess."

The second floor was much worse off. There was a hole in the wall letting in biting winds that shook the tower, and most of the floor had crumbled away, leaving just enough room for a small pokémon to walk across. "How did we not notice _that_?" Nalo wondered.

"It doesn't matter. Let's just get to the stairs and keep climbing," Nauki said.

They continued climbing, up and up and up, and as the minutes passed them by, the stories started to blend together until he lost count of how many they'd passed. It could've been five or fifty or five hundred for all he knew. All he ever could know was the time. He would shout to Nalo, "How many hours?" She would always glance at her watch, and the look of terror on her face was answer enough.

They climbed on.

Nauki was shocked when his limbs did not tire. _I never used to have_ this _much stamina,_ he kept thinking, but he came up with no explanation. He almost felt as if there was something else feeding him with energy, almost ready to burst inside him. Nalo, unfortunately, was not faring quite as well. She was constantly dropping behind him, a look of utter defeat permanent on her face. No matter how often Nauki shouted, "Just keep moving!" at her, she would always start to drop behind again. He was starting to wonder if the only reason she was even managing to keep up was for him.

They climbed on.

When they reached a floor somewhere between one hundred and three hundred, the storm reached them. They were running across one of the few solid floors in the entire tower when suddenly, the storm swept in through the holes and descended on them. Nauki yelped as the winds bit him with their iron teeth, and blistering pellets of sand ricocheted off his hide.

"What the hell?" Nalo gasped, ducking as a piece of hail the size of her head went flying past her. "How could the storm possibly reach all the way up here?! We must be miles above ground!"

Nauki didn't respond for a moment. _This storm is different,_ he knew so right away. When Groudon and Kyogre fought, the earth and the sea bent to their will and unleashed a storm of epic proportions, but when the Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre fought, it was the earth and the sea themselves who warred, and the whole world would feel their wrath, be it land, water, or sky. "It's the primals' fighting," Nauki explained. "We have to stop them. We have to hurry!"

"Why couldn't Latias just fly us up?" Nalo grumbled, but when Nauki took off in a sprint, she didn't hesitate to follow.

They dashed up stairs two at a time, then three at a time, and still more and more floors came to meet them. Nauki was starting to wonder if Sky Pillar even _had_ a top. Yet his body refused to tire, and he dashed on and on and on, three at a time and then four at a time. But with the icy rain and blazing sandstorm attacking him ruthlessly from all sides, even Nauki was forced to slow down.

As they went and went, Nalo's breath grew more and more ragged, and Nauki turned back to realize she was dragging herself up the stairs, her breath like nails.

"Nalo!" He turned back and ran to her side, but she didn't stop crawling, a look of pure determination on her face and sweat pooling down her forehead, her eyes squinted from the rain and sand. "Hey, you don't have to walk anymore. Get on my back."

"No." Her voice sounded like her lungs had been rubbed with sandpaper. "We… we have to…"

"Come on. You carry me all the time. It's high time I returned the favor." Without waiting for her argument, Nauki nosed himself under her arm and propped her up onto his back. "Just hang on, alright?"

She smacked him as hard as a pokémon who had just run up several hundred flights of stairs could smack. "… Hate you," she puffed.

"Love you too," he responded. And then he was off, charging up the stairs like a gallant steed.

As they went on, Nalo catching her breath on Nauki's back, the climb grew more and more treacherous. He had no idea what floor they were on, and it must've been hours since they had started their ascent, but the second he turned to Nalo, she said, "Floor 408. Thirty minutes 'til midnight."

 _Oh, no._ "We'll make it," promised Nauki. "Please just trust me."

Nalo smiled sadly at him. "How can you have the energy to go on for so long without tiring for even a second?"

"Love, maybe," Nauki answered, "and something else. I don't know what it is, though."

"Well." Nalo clambered off his back, despite Nauki's expression of protest. "Maybe it's a trick I ought to try. We make the final climb together. As family."

"Right, as…" He paused for a moment as her sentence completely registered for him, but his surprise was quickly washed away by happiness. "Right. As family."

Nauki and Nalo sped up the final stairs together, and as they did, Nauki started to count the minutes. Twenty-nine… Twenty-seven… Twenty-two… Eighteen. Anxiety was starting to clutch his heart in its gruesome claws, and just for an instant, he was beginning to wonder if they would ever reach the top, and that was when they arrived.

The door was about two stories high, built entirely of gold, its frame decorated with rigid, ancient symbols. On the door were many figures, and though Nauki could not quite recognize them all, he knew their names. Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Mega Rayquaza in a triangle in the center. At Rayquaza's sides were Latias and Latios with hearts two times too big. In a line along the bottom were the golems, Regice, Regirock, and Registeel. And at the top of the painting were Deoxys the Destroyer and the pokémon of the Breathing Star, Jirachi. All of Hoenn's legends in one place, and behind the images rested their king.

"Are you ready?" Nalo asked him. "Are you ready to meet Rayquaza?"

A piece of sand stung Nauki on the cheek, and in his heart, for once, Pa'ani was peaceful. His face wore a look of furious determination, and he answered.

"Yes."

* * *

Down below, the earth and sea were at war.

If Ikaika had possessed any feeling left in her body, she might've been afraid. She had dabbled with fear of her own power in the past, back in Lavaridge. She could recall a time when Nauki had been cut by one of her flying stones, and she had almost considered vowing to never use them again. But her powers were too much a part of her, and deciding to fear them would only make her situation worse. However, the feats she was pulling now… Even Groudon's legendling herself could not help but feel the fear stirring in her belly. All of her and Kai'a'a's battles had been play fights compared to the war that raged now. With their primal power unlocked, Ikaika and Kai'a'a had become the earth and the sea themselves, and no living creature would be spared from their wrath.

Kai'a'a came at her first, and Ikaika nearly turned tail and ran when she saw the tidal wave that was crashing down on her. It must've been taller than a skyscraper, with all the force of the ocean behind it. Ikaika lifted a wall of earth and magma right from the mantel, just as high as the wave and near half a mile thick. When the tsunami crashed against her wall, she could feel the force of it in her very soul. Her and the earth were one and the same now, and its pain was her pain.

With a halfhearted snarl she hoped would intimidate her opponent, Ikaika broke off a chunk the size of a building from her wall and flung it at Kai'a'a. He swiveled aside with finesse and sent sharp icicles hurtling at her at the speed of a bullet. Ikaika raised another smaller wall to block, and they shattered upon impact. She hoped to get another shot of earth in to put her on the offensive, but Kai'a'a was too quick for her, and she found herself ducking and dodging the rain of minivan-sized hail he sent flying at her.

Now Ikaika was starting to get irked. _What does he want, a display of strength?_

 _If the Sea Monster wants strength, give him strength,_ Primal Groudon ordered.

Ikaika didn't respond. _Here goes nothing, I guess._ She raised her claws, and the earth beneath her was ablaze. She reached her soul out across the earth, running west and west, deeper and deeper until she found it. She couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. This would perhaps be the greatest feat she would ever pull off as a chikara. _Good thing it'll be the last._

Ikaika raised her claws into the air, and behind her, Mt. Chimney erupted.

Even from so far away, the two legendlings could see the great display. Lava burst from the volcano's cone like an explosion, and fire swept across the sky, turning it crimson. Great, bubbling rocks the size of houses flew, and with a sweep of her claws, they all hurtled at Kai'a'a. She noticed the momentary look of terror in his eyes, and he ducked aside as the first red boulder sailed for him, only just a few inches short of decapitating the Drowned God. Lava went pooling down the volcano's sides, and when she thought of Lavaridge Town, she wasn't sure whether to redirect the flow or double it. Lava started to rain down around them, instantly liquefying anything it came into contact with, and droplet-shaped obsidian rocks formed wherever it hit the sea.

Then it was Kai'a'a's turn. He raised his two fins, and the temperature suddenly dropped so low Ikaika's lava turned to obsidian in the blink of an eye, and her cherry red boulders became black and hard. He waved his fins, spinning in an elegant dance Ikaika hadn't known the Sea Monster could even pull off, and the rain suddenly became a deadly downpour. If Ikaika hadn't been in her primal form, it might have even hurt, and she considered for a moment how brutal the knife-like rain must feel on the commoners. It instantly froze upon contact with the ground, and the grass around them was quickly covered in rime. She could feel her connection to the earth wane slightly, and the feeling sent a jolt of fear through her.

 _The Sea Monster wishes to make a storm. Give him one in return!_

 _Sure,_ Ikaika responded. She stretched her feelings out to west again, but not quite so far as Mt. Chimney. The flygon went in search of a storm. She found one in the sands, and when she lifted her claws, she brought the desert to the battlefield.

The sandstorm descended on them with fiery heat, and ferocious sunlight slashed through the clouds. The water in the ocean even started to bubble, it grew so hot. Ikaika threw the storm at Kai'a'a and let it rip and tear at his scales. Her powers strengthened again as any bit of water around immediately turned to vapor, and salt started to precipitate at the edges of the cove.

Kai'a'a retaliated, Ikaika retaliated, and so the fight went on. Kai'a'a brought her monstrous hail, colossal waves, and lightning streaking across the sky, and Ikaika returned the favor by throwing entire islands and magma straight from the planet's core right back at him. As the pokémon of Hoenn died screaming, Groudon and Kyogre turned a deaf ear, for all they listened for were the screams of their enemy.

* * *

Rayquaza was beautiful.

Nauki had to wipe a tear as he gazed upon the Nameless God, the One Who Brought Peace, the Kaulike Legendary, Rayquaza. He was enormous, even greater than Groudon and Kyogre, with a long slender body like a ribbon and talons several times as long as his own body. The legends were true; he had no feet to rest on, though he seemed to sleep comfortably by coiling his body like an ekans. His body was ash gray, but if he were to wake, he would turn emerald green.

"Nauki, we have twelve minutes," Nalo growled at him. "Let's get this done."

"Of course," said Nauki, but he hesitated for a moment. _Could this be a bad idea? Could having three legendaries awake be worse than two?_ Then he shook his head. _No. I've come this far. We'll all die anyways I don't. Rayquaza is my only chance of saving Ikaika. It's time to wake the Kaulike._ He brought the green orb out of his bag and, unsure exactly what to do, placed it before Rayquaza.

For a second, nothing happened, and Nauki's heart seized in terror at the unthinkable thought that it might not work, that there was a missing puzzle piece, but his fears were assuaged when the green orb suddenly exploded with light. It shone so fiercely Nauki was forced to look away, but he braved the pain to watch. The green orb rose up into the air, floating gently, and its light narrowed into a beam that shot at Rayquaza's forehead. Color seeped into his ash gray scales, flowing down his body like a stream, until the legendary pokémon was emerald green once again.

He opened his eyes.

A wind so great erupted from Rayquaza that the two pokémon were nearly thrown right out of the tower, and Nauki even had to grab Nalo to save her. The wind died as quickly as it had come, and when Nauki looked up, he saw Rayquaza beginning to move. The great legendary tested out his body sluggishly as he blinked sleep out of his eye. Then he spotted the two pokémon standing before him.

Nauki moved forward, ready to explain their cause, but before he could even open his mouth, Rayquaza swooped his head down to them, opened his massive jaws, and unleashed a ferocious roar. The roar was so mighty Nauki was flung back, and this time Nalo had to catch him.

Rayquaza stormed forward, his body uncoiling, and he bellowed, "TRESPASSERS! HOW DARE YOU COME TO SKY PILLAR?! HOW DARE YOU WAKE ME FROM MY SLUMBER? EXPLAIN YOURSELVES BEFORE I SEND YOU FLYING FROM THE TOP OF THIS TOWER!"

Nauki tried to speak, but his voice caught in his throat as if hooked by a fishing line, and he found himself opening and closing his mouth stupidly like a magikarp. Nalo moved past him and said in a confident tone, "We're here to tell you to do your job."

Rayquaza bared his fangs, but thankfully he did not attack them. "Is that so?" he growled.

"It is so! What are you doing?! _Primal_ Groudon and _Primal_ Kyogre are having a go at it down there! You're the Kaulike Legendary, the One Who Brought Peace! Why aren't you doing your job and bringing some peace before the whole world freaking gets wiped out?!" Nalo yelled.

Nauki winced, waiting for Rayquaza to swipe them off Sky Pillar like pesky flies, but instead he retracted his head until he was in a regal, coiled position. "I relinquished my task long ago for reasons you could not understand. The world's end at Groudon and Kyogre's hands is fate. The beasts cannot be stopped. Resisting the end is futile."

"That's STUPID!" Nalo yelled. "What, you think we wanna die? You think all the innocents down there want to die? Do _you_ want to die?"

"I am Rayquaza. I can survive Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre's wrath," said Rayquaza. "How did you find this place? I rest higher than any mortal pokémon could ever hope to fly."

"Your daughter brought us," said Nalo, and Nauki winced again. "Yeah, Latias. Don't look so shocked! You banished her and her brother for not doing their jobs, but who's the one sitting on his butt and who's the one who's been helping us stop Groudon and Kyogre all this time?"

Rayquaza bared his teeth slightly. "I told the Red Twin she should not come here again."

"She's saving the world! Give her a break." Nalo snarled more ferociously than the dragon. "Look, we only have…" She glanced at her watch quickly. "… Nine minutes before the world is good and gone, and before I need to be somewhere really important."

"The world ends by storm, and you have more important arrangements?" Rayquaza gave her a look of aggressive confusion, as if he were angry he could not understand this commoner before him.

"Yeah," Nalo answered.

Rayquaza blinked, then slipped back into a comfortable position. "You amuse me, Mudkip. Very well, I shall allow you and your rather silent friend to wait out the end in Sky Pillar with me. I have never minded the company of common pokémon as much as the Beasts have. Though I am afraid if you wish for refreshments, you would have to ask the Breathing Star for such. My last meal was a meteorite several hundred thousand years ago."

Now it was Nauki's turn to speak. He pushed forward, completely and utterly enraged, and shouted, "Are you _kidding_ me?! You think we're here for _shelter_?! You're the Kaulike Legendary! I thought you'd be smarter than this! We're not here for shelter, and we're definitely not here for REFRESHMENTS! Groudon is possessing my sister. You hear that? My SISTER! And he'll kill her if this goes on another minute! He and Kyogre will kill everyone if we let this go on a few more minutes! If the storm has reached all the way up here, how bad do you think it is down on the ground?! STOP GROUDON AND KYOGRE LIKE YOU WERE BORN TO DO BEFORE MY SISTER IS DEAD!"

Rayquaza gazed at him. "You are the Trapinch. I heard your words in my sleep as you pledged yourself to me. You claimed you sacrificed your happiness to seek me out."

"My happiness. Not Ikaika's," Nauki growled.

Rayquaza sighed in annoyance. "I suppose it would not be immensely difficult to return the Earthshaker and the Rainbringer to their slumber. I have done it many a time before. Alas, it cannot be done."

"WHY NOT?" shouted Nauki.

"I am in lack of a legendling. It is the code that legendary pokémon abide by. To preserve our secrecy, we make use of legendlings, as we have since pokémon first began to ask their questions. And there is the matter of whether or not you truly wish the Earthshaker to return to sleep."

Nauki could not fathom the statement. "What're you talking about? Of course I want him gone!"

"It may not go so well for the sister you speak so fondly of. Besides, I still have need of a legendling," Rayquaza said. He bent forward and turned his head to scrutinize Nauki with his enormous, yellow eye. "However, you may suffice."

"M-me?" Nauki asked. "But I'm not a dragon- or a flying-type."

Rayquaza turned away from him and lifted his head to a shelf. It was then Nauki realized that the walls were covered in shelves hundreds of feet high, containing a disorganized mess of treasures. Rayquaza seemed to know it well, even after centuries of slumber, for he plucked something right off a middle shelf without a moment's hesitation and set it down before Nauki.

"Your evolution as close at hand," Rayquaza explained. "The item you see before you is a joy seed, extinct except for within the treasuries of ancient pokémon. Eat it, and you shall evolve into a vibrava. Then you may serve as my legendling."

Nauki took pause. "I don't want to be stuck with you."

"It won't be for long. I will not have need of a legendling once I return to Sky Pillar," said Rayquaza. Suddenly, there was doubt in his eyes, and he looked Nauki up and down before stating, "Never mind. You are unsuitable."

Both Nauki and Nalo were shocked. "What? Why?"

"Legendlings must have strength in order to contain a legendary's soul. There are three paths of doing such: through family lines, through elemental power, or through chance disorders. Unlike the chikaras who fight below us, you are ordinary. If you host my soul, you will be dead in minutes."

 _Dead._

"Okay, no!" Nalo thrust herself between Nauki and Rayquaza, even resorting to pushing the immense dragon back by the nose. "He isn't doing it! He's my friend! I won't let you kill him!" Rayquaza didn't react.

Nauki gave it thought. _I could die… I could actually die. This could… This could be my last day alive._ Then he remembered Ikaika, fighting to the death below him, her life being vacuumed away by the red beast of the earth. _What do I have to lose?_ He looked at Nalo. _I have her to lose,_ he thought, _but I'll lose her either way. May as well save her while I'm at it._ He got to his feet. "I'll do it."

"NO!"

"When I slip inside you," said Rayquaza, "I cannot take direct control. Your body is too weak; you would die instantly. I will give you the power to do so, but it must be you who stops the Beasts."

"Fine. As long as they're stopped."

"HEY! Are you even listening to me?!" Nalo smacked him on the head. "Cousin, Nauki, don't do this. It's stupid! W-we'll find someone else, we'll buy more time, we'll-"

"Do you want our families to die?"

Nalo didn't respond. For a long time, they were silent. Then Nalo sobbed and grabbed him in the tightest hug Nauki had ever experienced, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Please don't die," she whispered. "P-please…"

Nauki responded, "I'm not making promises I can't keep anymore." He eased Nalo off him, gave her one last tender nudge, and turned to Rayquaza. "Let's do this."

"Eat the joy seed."

Nauki bit into it without pause. It tasted like life on his tongue. The juices flowed into him, and his big teeth chomped down on the crunchy shell. A seed would not fight him, but if it had, he would not have let it anyway. Three bites and it was gone.

The reaction was instantaneous. The instant the last of the joy seed touched his belly, Nauki's body exploded in blinding white light. He had seen several evolutions in Lavaridge, one of them being Ikaika's first, but he had never given much thought to what it would feel like. It felt right, like he had been in an uncomfortable position and was only now stretching out. He felt his very atoms rearrange themselves. A tune hummed in his head. _And once he'd had his fill, he glowed oh so bright._

And then it was done.

The first thing Nauki Vibrava did was test his wings. He shifted each one at a time, counting as he went. _One, two, three, four._ Then he felt out the rest of his body. He was _light_! Trapinches were heavy creatures, built for digging and latching onto prey with their enormous teeth, but vibravas were creatures of flight and finesse. His legs were practically stilts compared to the stumps he'd once had, and his head wasn't so bulbous anymore. His eyesight was sharp, and he even had a tail! Nauki Vibrava was rather fond of being a vibrava.

Rayquaza interrupted his pleasure. "Are you ready?"

Nauki nodded. "Let's do this.

The legendary nodded. He stilled, and out of his eyes came a green light. The lights moved from his eyes, joining at his nose, and snaked down towards Nauki, draining the color from the legendary as it did. Nauki's heart pounded against his now-hollow ribs as Rayquaza's soul reached his eye-level. It paused for a moment as the two simply stared at each other, and then Rayquaza's soul split and rushed into his eyes.

Nauki screamed in agony. The instant Rayquaza was inside him, he felt it. His entire body rebelled against the legendary, trying to buck him out like a rodeo bull, but the legendary was not going anywhere. His body temperature rocketed, and every alarm in his brain sounded. He almost felt like he would explode, containing more power than he physically could. His legs crumpled under him practically instantly.

"Nauki!" Nalo ran to his side to help him, but she had to leap back when his body suddenly snapped to the side, tossed by the immense power, and Nauki let out another scream.

 _MAKE HASTE!_ Rayquaza snarled. _This must be done before you die!_

Nauki nodded, though the very effort was agony. He started to drag himself back to the golden door, where the adjacent hole in the wall awaited his exit. Nalo shouted after him, but he could hardly hear her over the blood trickling out his ears. Even breathing was difficult as the power squeezed his lungs with an iron grip. But he refused to be beaten, not after he had come so far. Nauki dragged himself all the way to the window and, without even bidding Nalo farewell, leaped out.

Falling was easier than crawling, Nauki found, though not much less painful. He started to free-fall, hurtling towards the earth like a meteorite from space, his two new pairs of wings flapping uselessly at his sides. He might've heard someone shout his name, but it could've been his imagination, or the legendary currently killing him from the inside out.

 _CORRECT YOURSELF!_

 _R-right,_ Nauki answered. Though the effort was agonizing, he flipped himself over and spread his four wings. He tried to see when he might collide with the ground, but the black clouds swirling around him made that impossible. _How do I- AGH!_ Nauki let out a scream as his right hindleg snapped from the pressure of the power. He heard a sickening _CRACK_ , and his broken leg flared with pain. He glanced down to see thin bone protruding from the skin, soaked in blood.

Nauki tried to even his breathing, to cool his steaming blood, to do something, but he was helpless against Rayquaza's power. All he could do was plummet and try to pretend he was flying.

 _Spread your wings. Fly as I would. You must not die before we reach the Beasts. They will be in my city._

 _Y-your city? What?_ Nauki could not even think straight. His entire body was afire with pain. His broken leg flapped behind him, each slight motion completely agonizing. Then suddenly, Nauki felt his wing snap, folding on top of itself, and he screamed, his uneasy flight now completely thrown off balance.

Nauki had no idea how he ever managed to find his way to Lilycove City with two broken limbs and an inability to breathe, but he broke out of the clouds and saw his sister. She was completely unrecognizable, changed by primal power, on a pillar of lava and wielding the very soul of the earth. Kai'a'a was there too, equally unrecognizable and equally powerful. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre were beasts to be reckoned with.

 _The Beasts will recognize me. Approach them, demand their attention. They will have no choice to obey, but you must assert your dominance._

Nauki gave it a try. "S-stop!" They did not even spare him a glance.

 _ASSERT YOURSELF._

"BEASTS, STOP!"

The fighting froze. The instant his voice touched their ears, Groudon and Kyogre's war ceased. Ikaika and Kai'a'a turned, the legendlings dropped to the ground, and Kai'a'a gasped, "R-Rayquaza?!"

Nauki knew Rayquaza always floated above them in the stories, but his broken limbs were in such pain he was forced to land. He tried not to meet Ikaika's eye, but she recognized him as easily as he had recognized her all that time ago.

"Nauki? Wh-what, why are you Rayquaza?" gasped Ikaika.

"I'm hosting- AGH!" Nauki screamed as his body snapped to the side, the power throwing his head to the right and nearly snapping his neck. Ikaika gasped as he stumbled and moved to catch him immediately. Nauki was shocked that Groudon and Kyogre hadn't pushed him into the water to die and resumed their battle. "I-I'm Rayquaza, because it's time for this war to end! Groudon and Kyogre must return to their slumber! Rayquaza c-commands it!"

Then something Nauki hadn't expected happened. Both legendlings shuddered. Strange vapor formed behind both their backs, and Groudon and Kyogre took form outside their legendlings. They were only fractions of spirits, flickering constantly, but they still managed to frighten Nauki.

 _"You are no proper legendling. You will be dead in minutes. Our power is too much for you. Return to Sky Pillar and bring the Green God with you," Kyogre growled._

"No!" Nauki hissed in pain as one of his veins erupted, and blood burst forth from his skin. "Rayquaza commands you go to sleep!"

 _So they have grown this insolent,_ Rayquaza muttered.

 _"I hear no command from the One Above, only a request from a treacherous vibrava who would be better off dead,"_ Groudon growled, his immense claws flashing. _"Did you not realize what our return to sleep would cause, Vibrava? These legendlings are finished. Their bodies are worn out so much, they are walking corpses. I know very well how fondly you regard this flygon. My power is the only thing keeping her alive. Should I be banished from her body, she will_ die _."_

 _Should I be banished from her body, she will die._

 _She will die._

 _She will die._

 _Die._

 _Die._

 _DIE._

"NO!" Nauki cried. His body nearly gave out right then and there. "NO, SHUT UP! That can't h-happen!"

Ikaika gave him a forlorn look. "Nauki-"

"NO!" He was screaming now, and the tears returned once again, pooling down his face. "I-I did everything! I did everything to save you! You can't die! I came looking for you! I came looking and I found you! I was going to save you! I wanted you to be happy, after everything. It _wasn't for nothing!_ YOU CAN'T DIE! YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, YOU CA-" Nauki was cut off when another of his wings snapped, nearly ripping itself right in half, and he screamed in pain and collapsed.

He expected to collide with the hard, obsidian ground, but instead, he fell into warm, tender arms and almost mistook them for a vibrava's. He looked up to see Ika, and with the sun shining behind her, she had never looked more beautiful. She scooped Nauki close to her, and whispered.

"Nauki, let me go."

Nauki froze. Even his pain seemed to vanish in that moment. His eyes swam with confusion as he looked at his sister, trying to find an explanation, but he didn't need one. He already knew. A tear trickled down his cheek, and with a sob, he hugged Ika as tightly as he could. She hugged him back, squeezing him tight in her warm embrace.

Nauki noticed their reflections in the wet obsidian they stood on, and when he saw the two pokémon hugging, he did not even recognize them. Had Ikaika always been that way? Had she always looked so sad? Had _he_ always been that way? He pulled back, and that was when Groudon roared.

" _NO! ENOUGH OF THIS FOLLY! I AM GROUDON! YOU WILL NOT DISOBEY ME, LEGENDLING! THIS WAR SHALL NOT END UNTIL THE EARTH IS TRIUMPHANT!"_

" _BEGONE WITH YOU!"_ Kyogre agreed. _"THIS IS NOT OVER! THE SEA MUST REIGN SUPREME!"_

"Be silent!" Kai'a'a barked at him. He then turned to Nauki. "Vibrava, Rayquaza, please end this war. We cannot… No, _I_ cannot bear to stand it one more day. Rayquaza, end it for your sister, and end it for me as well. Please."

" _SILENCE!"_ Kyogre roared. He went ignored.

Nauki nodded. "Of course." He had no idea how, and he never would, but he found the strength to rise into the air, his two leftover wings flapping majestically. _Speak the words,_ murmured Rayquaza, and suddenly Nauki knew them. "Groudon and Kyogre, this world has no need of you. Return to your slumber and do not wake. As Rayquaza commands it, so it shall be. GO!"

Groudon and Kyogre had no argument, for they now understood it was Rayquaza who stood before them. On that day in Lilycove City, where the land meets the sea, the three legendaries left for sleep. On that day, the storm ended. His vision was speckled with black, but Nauki saw Ikaika and Kai'a'a go limp like ragdolls, Ikaika in the surf and Kai'a'a in the sand, encircled around each other, still as stone.

Pa'ani fell out of his heart, and Nauki slipped away.

Somewhere far away, the clock struck midnight.


	14. Anywhere and Everywhere

**Chapter Thirteen: Anywhere and Everywhere**

* * *

Nalo sat on a stone just off the coast of Dewford, observing. Her presence wouldn't be a problem anymore, but she didn't want to take any chances. Besides, she wasn't keen on running into Mana'o Gardevoir, not after she'd promised. She knew she should not be here, but she could not keep away. She had to come, she simply had to.

Nalo did not have to wait long to see them. The door swung open, and Kunane and Mahoe skipped outside, bouncing with excitement, their faces clear of frowns or despair. Mahoe called inside, and out came Naele Swampert with a picnic basket, looking as beautiful as always in the sunlight. She said something and rubbed Mahoe on the head, smiling gently, and the three pokémon set off for the southern beach.

 _They look happy,_ Nalo thought. She realized her family was about to escape her line of sight and leaned dangerously to the left in order to keep them in her view, but they went behind an obsidian boulder and disappeared. Disappointed, she moved back to a comfortable position. Her family out of sight, she took a look around Dewford.

The Endstorm Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre had unleashed had been devastating in all six regions, but the epicenter had been Hoenn. Pacifidlog Town had been reduced to flotsam, floods of lava had melted parts of Lavaridge, Fallarbor, and Rustboro, obsidian boulders had crushed houses, and island cities were still flooded from the tidal waves. All of nature was ill from the destruction. However, the pokémon of Hoenn hadn't smiled this much since before the storm started. All seemed to understand that the primal storm had been the climax, and the region was once again graced with clear skies, characteristic fog, and perfectly warm weather.

The same went for the pokémon of Dewford. They all walked around jovially, helping each other to repair damage and even making test outings to Granite Cave. Nalo could see a few piles of andesite that had been mined. It wasn't nearly as much as what Dewford had once exported, but it would take time. Even the grumpy town elders were smiling.

Nalo was immediately attentive when her family came back into view. They settled down on the beach, and Naele set their basket down. She brought out a blanket and attempted to set it down, but Mahoe got underneath it, and a game of glameow and rattata started while Naele laughed. Mahoe darted out from under the blanket, and he and Kunane dashed through the surf, laughing.

Nalo realized her eyes were tearing up, though whether they were tears of sadness or joy, she could not be sure. _Enough, Nalo,_ she thought to herself, wiping at her eyes. _You have more important things to cry over these days._ Then Mana'o came outside to greet the pleasant weather, and she got to her feet. _Say goodbye, Nalo._

The mudkip looked up at the clear skies, beautifully blue, not fiery orange from Groudon or dark gray from Kyogre. Just blue, the way it should be. No earthquakes rolled across the ground, no rain thundered down, no sandstorms or ice storms swept across the sea. Her family was laughing.

"Well," murmured Nalo. "Looks like my secret mission is complete." She turned, yanked the everstone off her neck, and flung it into the sea.

* * *

"Seriously, why did I have to meet her all the way up here?"

Nalo Marshtomp was not a happy pokémon as she entered Fortree City. She hadn't been here in such a long time, but the pleasant, peaceful atmosphere always made her happy. The city was dominantly Groutian, but here, one could find all sorts of pokémon. Spherans, Sphere Arceans, Eon Dragon worshippers, and even pokémon who worshipped Jirachi. One could walk with a skip in their step in Fortree. The downside, though, was the city was frustratingly out of the way.

But Nalo wasn't here to enjoy all Fortree had to offer today. She walked past the Center, went underneath one of the bridges connecting the tree houses in which the Fortree pokémon lived, and headed into the dense forest north of the city. She traveled at the pace of a slowbro, picking her way through the thick underbrush and annoyingly low canopy. She was still clumsy with her new, bipedal body, which didn't help. _I'm never gonna go to a forest again,_ she thought.

Luckily, she arrived at the sea quickly. The trees marched right up to the waterline, as if daring the waves to touch them. How they didn't wither and die, Nalo wasn't sure. It wasn't a beach, but instead the mainland was raised several feet off the water by a rocky cliff.

Latias was waiting for her. She was in her normal form, hovering over the ocean in a defiance of physics. She had an overstuffed bag dangling off her right wing, which Nalo was sure would come off when she flew, and in her hands were the red orb and the blue orb.

"Nalo!" Latias rushed forward and squeezed the marshtomp in an enormous hug. "Oh, it's so good to see you! And you've evolved! About time, huh?"

"Latias, you're crushing me!" Nalo croaked.

"Oops! Sorry." Latias let her go, allowing Nalo to breath. "What's up?"

Nalo gave her a look. "You wanted me to hike out here?"

"I did, I did," Latias nodded. "How's Nauki?"

"Nauki? He's…"

Nalo fumbled for the right words, but Latias seemed to get the idea. "I see. I wish he could've come out here with you. I miss him."

"There's no way, not right now," Nalo murmured, "but I'll give him your well wishes if you don't wanna come to Lavaridge to see him."

"He's with his parents now?"

"Yeah. I've hardly left Lavaridge since everything last week. I just happened to be out, and I got your message," explained Nalo. "Enough small talk now. Why are we here?"

Latias smiled sweetly. "Well, I wanted to say goodbye!"

That surprised Nalo. "Goodbye? What do you mean? Where are you going?"

"Let me explain," said Latias. "Daddy went back to sleep. In fact, the second thing he did when he got back to Sky Pillar was go right to sleep. And since the green orb is now stashed in his room, he might never wake up again." Nalo noted how downcast she looked about it. _She must've really wanted Rayquaza to take up the job again._ "Well, the first thing he did was thank me, and he said I can come home whenever I want! Yay! I mean, there isn't much at Sky Pillar, but I guess I can do some repairs. If it falls apart, we don't want Daddy falling on top of Pacifidlog Town, no sirree. Okay, I'm getting sidetracked. Anyway, after that, I went and found the red and blue orbs, because since I'm my dad's daughter, my job is his job. I've decided that Latias is going to keep peace in Hoenn by making sure Groudon and Kyogre never wake up again."

"That's wonderful, Latias! You think you can do it?" Nalo asked.

Latias nodded. "But not alone, of course. That's why I'm going to Kanto. I have to find my brother, tell him what happened, and ask him to take the job with me. I even thought up a system. I'll keep the red orb safe, and he can keep the blue orb. It's color-coded and everything. We'll do it like this!" She lifted up the red orb, which Nalo realized had been turned into a necklace, and slipped it around her neck. "This way, if anyone wants to get ahold of these things to wake Groudon or Kyogre, they'll have to go through Latios and I. I mean, he might not want to, but that's why I have to apologize for that big fight we had."

"That's admirable, Latias," said Nalo. "You're not going as a lapras or anything?"

Latias shook her head. "It's time I took a step back from the world of common pokémon. If I'm gonna do this right, I'll need my normal form. It won't be so bad. I'm so cute in this form too!" She giggled. "And I'm going right now, so I wanted you and Nauki to come and see me off. I get why Nauki couldn't come, but I'm glad you're here."

"Think we'll see each other again?"

Latias answered, "Depends if you and Nauki want to see me again. For now, I'll keep my distance, I promise."

"Thanks," said Nalo. "Good luck. Kanto's a long trip."

"Not when you've got a heart twice as big!" Latias rose up into the air. She stuck the blue orb into her bag and waggled her wings. "Buh bye!" She made an arc into the air, and fast as a jet, she was gone.

* * *

When Nalo arrived back in Lavaridge, she was not met with the usual suspicion and scorn that she once received. The Groutians had become used to her popping in and out over the past week, and the occasional visit from a water-type was the least of their worries. Several of Lavaridge Town's buildings had been eaten by lava, and the village at the end of Jagged Pass was littered with debris from Mt. Chimney's eruption. Descending Jagged Pass had become a nightmare, so supplies were in demand. But the Lavaridge pokémon were happy, because the storm was over, and Nalo was glad she had helped to give them that.

Nalo let herself into the flygon house. She was such a frequent visitor that knocking had become unnecessary. Hine looked up as she came in. "Evening, Nalo. Oh, look at you! You've evolved! No everstone, I see."

"Yup! It feels good," Nalo said. "I didn't need to stay a mudkip anymore. How's Nauki?"

She had been expecting as negative an answer as usual, but to her surprise, Hine smiled. It was the first time the flygon had since Nalo and Latias had returned with Nauki's broken body and word of Ikaika. "He got out of bed and ate today," she said. "I was so glad. I was starting to think I was gonna have to force-feed him. He even seemed happy. You should go see him, he was asking about you."

"Of course," said Nalo. _I wonder what's brought this on. He hasn't done anything but just lay there since then._ She made her way to his bedroom door, and when she listened closely, she sighed with utter relief. She could hear music.

Nauki looked up as Nalo entered, his waaliona playing halted abruptly. The instant he saw her new body, he grinned. "Well, look at you!"

"I've been getting that a lot," Nalo laughed. She came in and looked around in surprise at the room. For the entire week, it had been empty since Nauki had burned all its contents. The only furniture had been a nest in the corner of the room, pulled out from the closet. But now Nauki had sheet music scattered around his nest, and in his hands was the brand new waaliona Nalo had brought him from Rustboro. He had refused to even touch it for several days, but now its soothing music floated through the air. "I see you're playing."

"Ah." Nauki looked down at the beautiful instrument. "I didn't notice how much I missed it. I figured it was time to write something new."

He looked at Nalo and realized she was at a complete loss. He could understand that. From the second he had woken up in his room in Lavaridge, he'd done nothing but grieve. He refused to eat, cooperate with the doctors, or even talk to anyone except Nalo. The doctors had had to hold him down twice to get him to comply. But now he was playing music and talking in more than clipped sentences.

"So…" Nalo said. "What did the doctor say?"

"Oh, um…" Remembering the doctor brought Nauki's grief back, and he remembered he only had three wings now instead of four. The doctors had managed to save his other broken wing, though the damage was so bad it was practically useless now, but the one that had been ripped open was beyond saving. Nauki had woken to find it gone. _"It's doubtful you'll ever be able to fly, and even if you do, you'll never do it properly."_ His leg was in bad shape as well, but he could now walk again so long as he used the roller the doctor had provided. It was a contraption composed of two metal poles on wheels, connected by a dangling, leather strap. Nauki could place the upper half of his body on the strap, and with the support of the wheels, walk somewhat, but he hadn't made much use of it. Flying, however, was another story. "Well, he said I might be able to walk on my own in eight weeks. I was expecting eight years, so that's something."

"Nauki, that's awesome!" Nalo was about to give him a light shove before she remembered his injuries. "So, you look happier."

"How observant of you," Nauki said. "I was just thinking, is all."

"About Ikaika?" Nalo usually hesitated to mention his sister, for her name usually reduced him to sobs, but she felt it was safe today.

Nauki nodded. "I know I've said this before, but I just, I feel like maybe Groudon was wrong. Maybe something happened, something weird, and-"

"You think she's alive?" Nalo guessed.

"Yeah," said Nauki. "I know it's dumb, and I shouldn't get my hopes up over nothing, but I can't shake the feeling. I feel like she's out there somewhere, probably in bad shape, but out there. Maybe even Kai'a'a too."

Nalo felt hesitant. "What're you gonna do about it?" She felt like a terrible person for thinking it, but she hoped Ikaika was dead, and she wished Nauki would not think otherwise. The marshtomp was exhausted, but if Nauki wanted to set off on another search, she would follow.

To her surprise, Nauki shifted into a more comfortable position and stated, "Nothing."

Nalo gasped. "Really? That's so unlike you."

"No, that's so unlike Nauki Trapinch," he corrected her. "And I realize now that I was stupid. I'm not the friend Ikaika deserves. If she is really gone, then she's… then she's gone, but if she's alive, I don't think she'd want her past coming to catch up with her. She has to make her own way in the world from now on, and so do I."

Nalo smiled. "I'm proud of you, Cousin."

"We're not cousins," Nauki laughed. "We're closer than cousins." Then he remembered. "How did Dewford go?"

Nalo smiled sadly. "Mana'o kept his promise. My family's happy, and Dewford is happy."

"Are you okay?"

Nalo nodded. "There's no point in mourning about it anymore. The memory wipe is permanent. Instead of moping, I can spend my time doing more important things. Like helping you, for one. You can walk in eight weeks, right? When that comes, let's do something. Let's do anything and everything! What should we do first?"

Nauki contemplated his answer for a few seconds, but it came to him almost right away. "I wanna go to Kanto and meet another flareon."

"Then let's go to Kanto. Let's meet a flareon, or twenty flareons, or all of them! Then let's eat some Kanto food and tell stories with Arceans and do whatever because we can."

Nauki smiled. "Let's do it. Maybe I won't be able to fly there, but I can walk. It'll take longer, but I don't care if it takes a decade or more. After all, I'm pretty sick of deadlines."

His heart had never felt lighter.

* * *

After the battle was done, a Stranger came to collect the dead and show them the way.

* * *

When Ikaika started to slip back into consciousness, her first thought was, _Am I dead?_ She'd never given much thought to death. For a long time, she had confused Groudon's immortality for her own, even though the legendary had brought her to death quicker than she could ever reach it herself.

 _Maybe I am dead,_ thought Ikaika. She felt her claw twitch. _Or not, maybe? Let's test it out._

Ikaika blinked her eyes open, and she found herself surrounded by blackness. _Okay, definitely dead._ Her eyes started to adjust to the dark, and she could make out a few shapes. She was in a small, rocky cave, lying on a nest of moss. There seemed to be a table with a few, lumpy objects on it.

 _What's going on? How the hell am I alive?_ Just then, another pokémon entered the cave, but she before she could say anything, she slipped back into unconsciousness.

The next time Ikaika woke, she did not feel half-dead, but instead well rested… and _cold_. As soon as she was up, the first thing Ikaika did was shiver. _I almost forgot what cold is like,_ she thought, curling herself into a fetal position. Only then did she actually open her eyes.

Right in front of her was Kai'a'a Kingdra, his eyes closed in sleep. Ikaika blinked with surprise. _Why am I here? And why is Kai'a'a here too? Are we prisoners? Why are we even alive?!_

She heard a noise, and Ikaika looked up to see a pokémon entering. She could not make out the species in the dark, not even by the silhouette. The shape was completely unrecognizable, something she'd never even seen before. All she could make out was the pink of his fur.

The pokémon looked at her. "You're awake."

"Yeah, I noticed." Ikaika was surprised by how scratchy and quiet her voice was. She cleared her throat. "Where am I?"

"Somewhere safe," answered the pokémon. He moved forward slightly, but Ikaika didn't hear any footsteps, and that was when she realized he was levitating.

"Who are you? Why am I here?"

"I am no one, just passing through," he answered. "When the Earthshaker and the Rainbringer returned to their slumber, I brought you and the kingdra here. You both nearly didn't live, but I have a friend who knows his herbs. You'll both live, though not for too long. Seems the Beasts were too hard on your bodies."

"Oh," said Ikaika. "How long do we have?"

"Maybe a day, maybe a decade. That's for you to decide," said the pokémon. "There's nothing more I can do for you guys, so I'll be leaving you now. However, while I am here, is there anything you desire? Any wish you have? My friend's taking them while he's here."

Ikaika wasn't certain why he asked, but she found herself attempting an answer anyway. _What_ do _I want?_ she wondered. _I could wish this all never happened, that Groudon had never found me. I could wish for Nauki to be here, or to be in Lavaridge with him._ Morally, she knew if she were to have a wish, she should spend it on the little boy she'd hurt so badly, but she was tired, and so was her morality.

"I'd want a friend, I guess. Someone like me."

In the darkness, the pokémon smiled. "You don't need a wish for that. I'll be seeing you. Not that you'll be seeing me." And the Stranger left.

Now alone in the dark, Ikaika looked at Kai'a'a. He had returned to his normal body, all the primal energy purged. She looked at herself, and sure enough, she was back to normal as well. _Good. I can't imagine being stuck like that forever._ She wondered for a moment if she should get up and have a look around, maybe find the Stranger and interrogate him some more, but then she realized just how comfy her nest was. She leaned back, letting her wings flop at her sides, and sighed in contentment. _This isn't so bad._

Kai'a'a awoke then. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes slowly, and the instant his location registered, he sprung out of bed, three snakes of water springing out of the ground.

"Hey, chill," Ikaika called over to him. He whirled around like a frightened animal. "What, didn't know I was here?"

Kai'a'a lowered the water slightly. "No. W- Er, I didn't realize."

"We're safe here, I think. Just relax."

His eyes swam with uncertainty, but Kai'a'a lowered himself back into the nest. "Where are we?"

"Good question." Ikaika chuckled. "I mean, I'm no scientist, but I'd guess a cave."

"Very funny," Kai'a'a deadpanned. "But why aren't we dead?"

"There was a guy here earlier," explained Ikaika. "Don't ask me who he is, I don't know. He healed us for now, but we don't have long to live, thanks to our friends Groudon and Kyogre."

"How long?"

"Another good question."

Kai'a'a seemed unsatisfied with the answer, but he didn't press further. He rose out of bed and lifted up the water again. "It seems my powers remain intact."

"Oh yeah." Ikaika sat up as well and lifted a chunk of earth out of the ground. "I don't think I could erupt a volcano again, though."

"Good," Kai'a'a breathed. "That was terrifying."

Ikaika smirked. "You liked it?"

"Had I not been the target, maybe." Kai'a'a noticed the look she was giving him. "Don't make that face! Your skills are mediocre at best!"

"Says the guy who just splashes around!" laughed Ikaika.

"I'd rather splash than throw pebbles about."

They laughed together for a moment before falling quiet. Ikaika suddenly found herself a bit nervous. _Come on, do it!_ She turned to face him, extended her hand, and said, "Hi, I'm Ikaika Flygon. Nice to meet you. I'm currently looking for a friend."

Kai'a'a looked startled by the offering, glancing between her and the hand a few times, but he extended his fin to her. "I'm Kai'a'a Kingdra. I'm also looking for a friend."

Ikaika shook his fin a couple of times and then bounced to her feet. "Then let's get out of this damp cave! We've got lots and lots to do, Kai'a'a!"

He rose unsteadily. "Where are we going?"

Ikaika moved her foot, and a tunnel appeared in the earth above them, leading straight to the sky. She started to rise on a pillar of rock, and Kai'a'a followed her on a pillar of water. Together they rose, out of the darkness and into the light.

"Anywhere and everywhere, that's where we're going."

* * *

Author's Note

And it's done! If you got this far, thank you so much for reading In the Heart of Mt. Chimney. We're officially two books into Walking With Gods, and this one is especially close to my heart. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, feel free to leave a review. And look forward to the next book, In the Mists of Icirrus Moor, which should be published around this time next year, maybe earlier. Again, if you got this far, thank you for reading. See you at the next one!

-CinnamonPearl


End file.
